Panagiota Diamanti

Panagiota Diamanti, a visionary Greek educator, has dedicated over a decade to transforming education in some of Greece’s most remote and underserved communities. As a primary school teacher and former principal of Fourna Primary School in Evrytania, Panagiota has consistently gone beyond traditional teaching, pioneering innovative practices that empower students academically, socially, and ethically. 

Her work in Fourna, a small mountain village, exemplifies her commitment to education as a tool for societal transformation. Faced with a dwindling student population and limited resources, Panagiota implemented the flipped classroom method, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity among her students. She introduced robotics and STEM activities, leading her students to win the Best Presentation Award at the 4th Robotics and Intelligent Systems Festival under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance. Through these initiatives, students designed a “smart” street lamp, reducing local energy consumption and saving €10,000 annually, demonstrating how education can solve real-world challenges. 

Panagiota’s impact extends far beyond the classroom. She founded the NGO “New Life in the Village,” revitalizing rural Greece by relocating families from urban areas, providing housing support, and ensuring quality education for their children. This initiative increased Fourna’s student population from three to seven in one year, reopened the kindergarten, and created sustainable social and economic opportunities in the village. Her work has been widely recognized, earning her the Exceptional Distinction at the Education Leaders Awards 2025, the Person of the Year and Social Contribution Award from Peloponnese newspaper, and multiple honorary awards for her contributions to Hellenism and social action. 

International media have celebrated her efforts to revive Fourna, with features on ARTE, ZDF, La Croix, Associated Press, and The Seattle Times highlighting her transformative work. Panagiota has also facilitated global collaboration, connecting her school with the school of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, giving students cross-cultural exposure and fostering global citizenship. 

Academically accomplished, Panagiota holds two master’s degrees and is a PhD candidate at the University of Thessaly, researching the flipped classroom model to develop critical thinking and collaboration skills in primary education. She combines teaching, research, and social innovation to create vibrant learning environments where students develop not only knowledge but social responsibility, empathy, and ambition. 

Through her innovative pedagogy, dedication to rural revitalization, and global outreach, Panagiota Diamanti exemplifies the transformative power of teachers. Her work proves that even the smallest school in a mountain village can become a beacon of innovation, hope, and social impact.