Following the incredibly fun, interactive and animated initial training session by the KAR Educational Team on the 3rd of October, continuing on Wednesday the 4th of October which presented a perfectly warm and sunny morning for KAR (Kyrenia Animal Rescue) to embark on one of many educational and awareness visits – this time, at Doga School in Ozankoy, Girne. The short yet simple and effective seminar began during the morning assembly held in the school playground – attended by all of the children from this delightful school.
We have received news from Stephanie Kuyucu of a new venture based in Bellapais, as part of the Kyrenia Academy, which will provide Holistic Development in Education, Music and the Arts for young people. Among the many programmes being offered there will be a ballet class and street dance for little ones, as well as a range of other classes for older children. There will also be tutoring in the English language, French and Maths.
On Tuesday 25th July we went along to the Kyrenia Youth and Resource Centre (GIGEM) in Girne to a meeting which had been set up for people to attend and give their ideas and views to help the community and youth of the area and what the Centre can do to achieve this.
We recently visited the new building which houses the Kyrenia Youth and Resource Centre – GIGEM, in Girne, which has been set up under the umbrella of SOS Children’s Villages, to offer training and help for 16-26 year old young people in the Girne area considered to be at risk, who would like to make a better life for themselves through work skills and social activities.
The first garbage bins have started to be set up for collectıon of waste materials at TRNC primary schools.
The first recycling bins deliverd to Şehit Tuncer Primary School
A joint project of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Ministry of Education and Culture has been implemented in TRNC Primary Schools. The Project, with the financial contributions of the Turkish Embassy in Lefkosa, will then be implemented at Secondary and High Schools.
District Municipalities will collect garbage from the schools which is deposited in the recycling bins and then that will be collected by private companies for recycling.
The ceremony was held at Şehit Tuncer Primary School as the first stage of the Recycling Project. The Minister of Tourism and Environment, Fikri Ataoglu, The Minister of National Education and Culture, Özdemir Berova, Lefkosa Turkish Municipality, Mayor, Mehmet Harmancı, Lefkosa, Republic of Turkish Embassy, Development and Economic Cooperation Office Specialist Consultant, Nebi Çelik also participated.
Tourism and Environment Minister Fikri Ataoglu
ATAOĞLU
Tourism and Environment Minister, Fikri Ataoglu said that their goal is to educate adults about the environment through children, and after having included an environmental education course in the education curriculum, they now have a practical project to achieve this.
Ataoğlu addressed the children and said that; “Even the garbage that seems so simple, should be separated from other materials, and if you tell your family and friends about this you will be a success for us .”
Separate collection of plastic, metal and paper garbage should be applied throughout the country, Ataoğlu said, “We need to spread this information to all parts of the country through you.”
BEROVA
Özdemir Berova, the Minister of National Education and Culture, said that environmental protection, nature and peace play a very important role in protecting the beauty of the country, and that tourism and higher education, which are the main sector of the country, can develop even further.
Bearing in mind that they are determined to do their duties as Ministers in order to create a cleaner and more livable country, Berova said that they have placed Environmental and Ecology lessons in the training curriculum.
Berova said “I believe we can create a cleaner and more livable environment with this project,” adding that children are the greatest representatives of environmental awareness.
Berova stated that the Project will reach 15,000 students in 85 schools.
HARMANCI
Lefkosa Turkish Municipality, Mayor, Mehmet Harmancı noted that they support all recycling projects and that they also work with plastic and metal trash. Harmancı emphasized that it took 400-450 years for plastics to disappear in the natural environment, saying, “Every plastic, every paper, every living thing can live in a better environment”.
ATUN
Former Prime Minister and President of the Environmental Protection Foundation, Hakkı Atun said that environmental pollution is one of the biggest problems in the world and is a priority issue in the Parliaments of State and political parties. Recalling that the industrialists had done great damage to the world but the developed countries had started to take measures by realising it and that the TRNC had to make a decisive contribution as a civilized society, Atun noted that nature was created on the basis of recycling. Atun said, “We should now accept that life is now on this system (recycling).”
ALTAN
Şehit Tuncer Elementary School Principal, Elçin Altan said in her speech, “The first step of the school recycling project is being taken in Şehit Tuncel Primary School and we will give the first positive answer in response to this request.” Altan said they would conduct the project at the school, gathering the garbage on a proper basis, and there would be free collection by the Municipality.
During an enjoyable afternoon BBQ at The Blue Song Restaurant in Lapta to celebrate Easter Monday, The Foreign Residents in the TRNC (TFR) raised 700TL from the raffle and this was topped up by TFR to make 1000TL, which was presented to the Lapta Primary School by Sandy Oram and myself on Wednesday 19th April together with Kerim, the Manager of the Blue Song Restaurant.
They were delighted and extend their grateful thanks to all members of TFR.
The donation will enable the school to finish their project of making a suitable shade and seating area for the children.
Our thanks for various donations go to ….
Blue Song Restaurant … donations of alcohol and dinner for 2
Café Des Artists … dinner for 2
Seapoint……dinner for 2
Dostlar Bar ….. dinner for 2
Silver Rocks….dinner for 2
Illeli Supermarket , shopping voucher,
Ayın pharmacy… shopping voucher
Wine and glasses donated by a kind-hearted member
Dağlı car insurance
Easter Eggs and chocolate from TFR
A protocol was signed between the Directorate of Forestry of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and Girne University entitled “Girne University, Beşparmak Observatory”.
Fikri Ağaoğlu, Minister of Tourism and Environment, Altay Fırat, Director of the Forestry Department, and Rector of Girne University. Dr. Ilkay Salihoğlu signed the protocol.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Rector Salihoglu noted that the project is aimed at the future of the country and said that they are proud to be taking the steps of creating an Observatory which can serve both scientific purposes and students and the public will be able to observe the sky.
Minister of Tourism and Environment Ataoğlu expressed excitement about this project of practice and research during his first visit to Girne University when he said that the country would have its first international Observatory. The University’s request for a location which, with the cooperation of the Forestry Department, has been concluded with the signing of the protocol.
Ataoğlu said “Due to the geographic location of our country, the sun sets in Cyprus earlier than European countries and America and we are creating in our country the first observations over other countries and these observations will be available to be used as reference by other Centres. Our country, and Girne University, will be more recognisable with the construction of the Besparmak Observatory. Joint projects with international institutions will lead to many scientists coming to our country and to the organisation of summer schools”.
Özdemir Berova, the Minister of National Education and Culture, said that environmental protection, nature and peace play a very important role in protecting the beauty of the country, and that tourism and higher education, which are the main sector of the country, can develop even further.
Former Prime Minister and President of the Environmental Protection Foundation, Hakkı Atun said that environmental pollution is one of the biggest problems in the world and is a priority issue in the Parliaments of State and political parties. Recalling that the industrialists had done great damage to the world but the developed countries had started to take measures by realising it and that the TRNC had to make a decisive contribution as a civilized society, Atun noted that nature was created on the basis of recycling. Atun said, “We should now accept that life is now on this system (recycling).”
