On Friday, April 7th, 2023, we organised a meeting with the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute for the Pandoteira project. The purpose of the meeting was to present the project, its aims and actions to the Officers who are employed at the Centres of Environmental Education of the Pedagogical Institute.
Academic Institutions, like the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, play a very important role in the promotion of environmental awareness and sustainability.
During the presentation we had a very constructive discussion on the purpose of the Pandoteira project, the importance of the Natura 2000 network, the communities which are affected by the project, as well as on the various means that could be employed for the promotion of the project’s aims.
Through this constructive discussion, the participants came to the conclusion that the Natura 2000 network can be an advantage to local communities, when used in a sustainable way. It has in fact been proven that local communities can attract sustainable tourism and use the Natura 2000 network status to their financial advantage.
It is worth mentioning that the Officers of the Pedagogical Institute showed an immense interest in the Pandoteira project, as well as in the application of practices which promote environmental awareness and protection.