Environmental Education and Vocational Training
AdvocaCY’s first co-creation café
AdvocaCY’s first co-creation café, took place on 24th September 2023, at 10:00, at Kormakitis Centre for Cooperation – KCC, with the participation of stakeholders from smaller and larger CSOs, NGOs and informal groups, from across the island.
During the co-creation café participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices for capacity building on sustainability and climate change related issues, and to identify collaboration opportunities.
Η ΑΚΤΗ μιλάει για την πλαστική ρύπανση στις Ειδήσεις των 20:00, στο ΡΙΚ
Η ομάδα της ΑΚΤΗς φιλοξενήθηκε στο κεντρικό δελτίο ειδήσεων του ΡΙΚ, όπου μιλήσαμε σχετικά με την έρευνα που διεξάγουμε για την καταγραφή της ρύπανσης στις ακτές τις Κύπρου, την πλαστική ρύπανση και τα μικροπλαστικά, και τα αλιευτικά δίκτυα που αναπτύχθηκαν με βάση υλικά βιολογικής προέλευσης, μέσα στα πλαίσια του Ευρωπαικού προγράμματος Ορίζοντας 2020, SEALIVE, τα οποία υποβάλλονται σε δοκιμές στις θάλασσες της Κύπρου από μια ομάδα 10 εθελοντών Κυπρίων ψαράδων.
Tiganokinisi Caravan makeover
Exciting news! The makeover of Tiganokinisi Caravan is officially in progress.
We would like to thank the talented Interior Designer, Ioanna Papanicolaou, for taking over. We can’t wait to witness the transformation unfold, so stay tuned for updates as the caravan gets a stunning new look.
7th International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management
On 26th August one of our team members, Christina Baldwin, presented our Astrotourism project, with the title: “Beyond Stargazing: The Sustainable Astrotourism Framework” at the 7th International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management in Copenhagen, Denmark. The presentation covered the project itself as well as the sustainability aspects that AKTI developed for the implementation of the Astrotourism activities.
The conference was a great success and Christina won best presentation of her session.
Thank you to the conference organisers for having us!
Tiganokinisi goes to AfroBanana Festival
AdvocaCY: Capacity Building Training for CSOs
Our 2nd Capacity Building Training for CSOs in the Turkish Cypriot community took place on 19th June 2023, at SiTi, within the framework of the AdvocaCY project, and in collaboration with Sivil Toplum Inisiyatifi – Civil Society Initiative and Mağusa Suriçi Derneği.
The training focused on the EU Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 3 – Health and Quality Life
- SDG 10 – Reducing Inequalities
- SDG 11 – Urban Sustainability
- SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Small, big actions; Cyprus and the environment
Having visited 44 schools across 3 cities with our Tiganokinisi caravan, and interacting with 13,886 pupils, between December 2022 and April 2023, we have been able to garner invaluable data regarding students’ daily habits that impact the environment.
Read more on AKTI’s article for Cyprus Mail here.
45ο Παγκύπριο Συμπόσιο του Δικτύου Εταιρικών Σχολείων UNESCO
Ολοκληρώθηκε με επιτυχία το 45ο Παγκύπριο Συμπόσιο του Δικτύου Εταιρικών Σχολείων UNESCO, που πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Πάφο και στη Δρούσεια με θέμα: «Αειφόρος Ανάπτυξη, Προστασία και Ανάδειξη της Πολιτιστικής και Φυσικής Κληρονομιάς του Ακάμα».
Το διήμερο πρόγραμμα περιλάμβανε μαθητικές παρουσιάσεις, συζητήσεις με εκπροσώπους κρατικών υπηρεσιών, περιβαλλοντικών οργανώσεων και τοπικών κοινοτήτων, βιωματικά εργαστήρια και ξεναγήσεις στην περιοχή του Ακάμα και σε άλλες περιοχές φυσικής αξίας στην επαρχία Πάφου. Σκοπός ήταν να γνωρίσουν οι συμμετέχοντες/ουσες την πλούσια πολιτιστική και φυσική κληρονομιά της περιοχής του Ακάμα και να κατανοήσουν τις προκλήσεις που συνδέονται με την οικονομική και κοινωνική ανάπτυξη προστατευόμενων περιοχών.
Το Συμπόσιο συνδιοργανώθηκε από την Κυπριακή Εθνική Επιτροπή UNESCO, τον Εθνικό Συντονιστή του Δικτύου ASPnet Κύπρου και το Λύκειο Α’ Εθνάρχη Μακάριου Γ’ Πάφου, σε συνεργασία με τα Περιβαλλοντικά Κέντρα της Μονάδας Εκπαίδευσης για το Περιβάλλον και την Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη, το Κυπριακό Κέντρο Περιβαλλοντικών Μελετών του Terra Cypria και το Junior Achievement Cyprus. Στην υλοποίηση του προγράμματος συνέβαλαν επίσης ο Δήμος Πάφου, η κοινότητα Δρούσειας, το Τμήμα Πολεοδομίας και Οικήσεως και το Κέντρο Μελετών και Έρευνας “ΑΚΤΗ”.
Net Zero in Cyprus and Malta
Net Zero projects for Cyprus and Malta
The initiative aims at addressing the much needed shift towards sustainability in the HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes) sector. The activities are structured around three major targets (1) energy saving practices and the reduction of CO2 emissions (2) water saving practices and (3) shift towards a sustainable supply chain through sustainable procurement practices and promotion of circular economy practices. The initiative is in line with the UN’s SDGs and the EU’s GHG Directive targeting the shift of the HoReCa sector towards sustainability. The initiative supports monitoring the resource usage reduction, introducing solution-oriented sustainability practices and the offsetting of GHG emissions.
Responsible Businesses Network
Businesses are inducted into the network through visits by members of the NetZero team. The team asks the businesses a series of questions to gauge the current situation of the business. These are filled in using a template. A guide is available to provide inspiration to the businesses on practices they can implement to become more sustainable and move closer to the goal of net zero emissions. The guide is available here:
Our members:
Activities for Net Zero:
1️⃣. NET Zero Energy
In the face of the predicted upcoming energy crisis, supporting businesses in reducing their energy consumption is vital for reducing their costs and contributing to reducing the climate crisis. Training and awareness raising on issues related to energy consumption and ways of reducing it will be implemented. The performance of the network members will be tracked through their practices.
2️⃣. NET Zero Water
Water demand is predicted to increase due to climate change decreasing rainfall and water reserves. The HoReCa industry consumes large amounts of water, meaning that their application of water saving practices could make a positive impact on the water crisis. Training and guides will be provided with information on how to reduce their water consumption. The water consumption of these members will be tracked through the practices they implement.
3️⃣. Sustainable Supply Chain
Research suggests that two thirds of a company’s footprint lies with its suppliers. Therefore, targeting a businesses’ procurement practices to make them more sustainable, can help significantly reduce this footprint. These sustainability practiced take into account the entire life cycle of the products being procured and try to minimize impact wherever possible.
Emissions tracking
Businesses can estimate the emissions they produce, and how this changes with the practices they implement, by using indicators international literature sources.
Green Enough: Educational program to raise ecological behaviour through an inclusive methodology using AR Technology
The Green Enough Project aims to raise ecological behaviour of adults and adolescents with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities by creating an adapted educational program for professionals working with them on a daily basis. The developed educational program will combine traditional methodologies (e.g., on site visits, seminars) with an innovative Augmented Reality application.
The participating professionals will be trained, assessed and certified in the educational program and the use of the application, aiming to raise awareness and promote positive ecological behaviour of their beneficiaries. Piloting activities will be organised so as to ensure quality of the training developed and the whole process is going to be adapted to European quality standards. The consortium of the Green Enough project consists of experienced organisations in the fields of service provision for persons with disabilities, environmental sustainability, innovative technological solutions and quality certification and will combine knowledge, exchange good practices and produce high quality deliverables to meet the goals of the project.
An important aspect of the Green Enough Project is the emphasis on autonomy and the development of daily living skills in an environmentally friendly manner. The development and use of Augmented Reality application will contribute greatly to this goal, as professionals will acquire the skills to educate their beneficiaries on independent eco-friendly daily living supported by an easily accessible and adapted app on their devices.