- Road Safety Forum in Heraklion, Sunday 30.11.2025.
- Held in the context of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
- Includes photo exhibition, new song premiere, student theatre, and expert talks.
- Free entrance at the CrediaBank (Pancretan Bank) Conference Hall.
- Complete programme 17:45–21:00 with broad local participation.
Heraklion often speaks about road safety, usually over coffee, always with that half-shrug that says, “This is Crete, what can you do?” But on Sunday, November 30, 2025, inside the conference hall of the Pancretan Bank on Ikarou Avenue 5, the Heraklion Traffic Police chooses to speak without euphemisms.
The event is held in the spirit of two difficult dates: the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (November 16) and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3), not as ceremonial courtesy, but as a reminder that behind every statistic there is a name, a family, and an empty chair at a kitchen table.
Entrance is free — because this topic concerns everyone, from the young driver who thinks he is untouchable to the veteran who has witnessed enough blue lights for a lifetime.
Memory, Art, and a Reality Crete Cannot Ignore
The programme opens at 17:45, with an audience that always reflects the city itself: teachers, police officers, students, parents, survivors, families who carry someone’s absence like a stone in their pocket.
The forum officially begins at 18:00, followed by greetings and the first walk-through of the photo exhibition (18:15–19:00) — where the images speak in ways words deliberately avoid.
At 19:00, attendees will hear the premiere of a new musical piece, “Angel on Earth,” dedicated to those who never came home.
Fifteen minutes later, at 19:15, students from Heraklion’s 6th Vocational High School take the stage for a short theatre performance — a section that usually silences even the most cynical attendee, because when children speak about danger, the message lands harder.
From 19:30 to 21:00, the microphone belongs to the experts. Each talk opens a different door: strategy, rescue, first aid, addiction, education, lived experience. It is a reality check delivered without varnish.
The Speakers and What They Bring to the Table
- Police Captain Stylianos Karakoudis, Commander of Heraklion Traffic Police, will speak about Strategic Traffic Operations to Reduce Accidents.
- Deputy Fire Chief Nikolaos Papaleonidas, Commander of the 3rd EMAK Rescue Unit, will cover Rescue Techniques and Extrication.
- Nikolaos Giannakoudakis, Director of Heraklion’s National Emergency Center (EKAB), will discuss Road Accidents and First Aid.
- Professor Ioannis Mouzas, Emeritus, Medical School, University of Crete, will argue Alcohol, Addiction, and Consequences.
Education Meets Prevention: Building Road Safety Awareness in Schools
- Emmanouil Kartsonakis, Regional Director of Education, Crete
- Emmanouil Kapellakis, President of the Paralympic Committee, Paralympic Gold Medalist
- Antonios Bouchalakis, Wheelchair Basketball and Para Athletics Athlete
- Ioannis Lionakis, President of the Volunteer Association for Road Accident Prevention (ESYPROTA)
The Programme at a Glance
- 17:45–18:00: Arrival of guests
- 18:00: Opening of the forum
- 18:00–18:15: Official greetings
- 18:15–19:00: Photo exhibition
- 19:00–19:15: Premiere of the song Angel on Earth
- 19:15–19:30: Theatre performance by students of the 6th Vocational High School
- 19:30–21:00: Expert presentations
- 21:00: Close of event
This is an evening that does not aim to impress but to unsettle — intentionally.
