Just before we say goodbye to the year, we received a gift that filled us with warmth and strength. Kristi Stassinopoulou shared with us a very personal moment: a sketch and a few pages from her book “Meetings with Remarkable Animals” (Opportuna Publications, in greek,), which serve as the most beautiful reward for our work. It is the story of an unexpected encounter on a wintry beach in Attica, where human care meets the raw power of nature.

“All alone on a wintry Attica beach, we had just finished our swim and were enjoying the view of the snowy triangular peak of Mount Ochi across the water, when we heard a car parking on the asphalt behind us. It was a white van with four or five people. […] Together, they carried a heavy, long box and placed it on the sand a little further down from us” Kristi describes in her memories. Inside the box was no secret, but a sea turtle of enormous proportions. The animal had traveled injured from Amorgos and after several months of treatment at the ARCHELON Rescue Centre in Glyfada, she was finally ready that day to return to her home.

“They lifted her out of the box and placed her on the wet winter sand. The turtle stayed still for a few seconds as if stunned, looking ahead, sometimes at the lightly foaming edge of the waves and sometimes at the horizon across. […] She turned her head toward where we were sitting, and gave us a deep, almost human look! An unforgettable gaze! […] A girl from the group came behind it and pushed the turtle lightly forward, as if she wanted to make it understand that, yes, you are going the right way, that is your home.”

This moment, which Kristi captured with such tenderness in her diary and her sketch, is the heart of our work. For us, this “unforgettable gaze” is the greatest moral reward. It is a reminder that acts of care stay alive in memory and inspire people. We warmly thank Kristi Stassinopoulou for her kindness and support. Every story of yours, every memory of your contact with sea turtles, reminds us why we continue: to protect these unique animals and the marine ecosystems that host them.

As we prepare for the new year, we hold onto this image of hope. We continue together. Happy and creative New Year to everyone!