The Akrotiri Environmental and Education Centre has been named runner-up in Environmental Projects category during the prestigious Sanctuary Magazine Awards ceremony, the British bases said on Friday.
The annual awards, which are presented in London to honour the work carried out to promote environmental protection on Defence Estates, saw the Environmental Centre acknowledged for the sustainable nature of the building itself.
With the use of innovative technologies, the self-sufficient centre has become a hub for environmental awareness throughout Cyprus, an announcement said.
During the ceremony, the Egly Pantelaki the permanent secretary for the ministry of education paid tribute to the work being carried out by staff at the centre and highlighted “the importance that the centre has throughout the ministry of education’s environmental network”.
The centre is visited on a daily basis by schools throughout Cyprus as part of the ministry’s curriculum on environmental protection and staff at the centre are urging people to make the most of the facility in the run-up to World Wetlands Day on February 2.
Thomas Hadjikyriakou, the manager of the centre, highlighted the importance of environmental education and said the centre and the wider Akrotiri peninsular was home to some of the most “incredible species of flora and fauna in Cyprus”.
He said as it looked over the Ramsar-protected salt lake, it was the ideal place to experience the wetlands, with “incredible views of the plant life and the flamingos currently living there,” Hadjikyriakou said.
Again this year, more than 10,000 flamingos have inhabited the salt lake and nature lovers from all over the world have visited the area.
On World Wetlands Day, the centre will be holding presentations by some of the most respected environmental experts in Cyprus and it will include talks by BirdLife Cyprus representatives and a bases entomologist looking at mosquitoes in the area.
There will also be schools from the Republic of Cyprus and the SBAs present, taking part in building a reconstruction model of the famous Akrotiri peninsular.
“World Wetlands Day is a big event worldwide and we are always looking forward to welcoming people not just from Limassol but all over Cyprus. There are many wonderful things that our wetlands offer and February 2 is a great opportunity for people to come along and learn more about what we have on the doorstep of the Environmental Centre,” said Hadjikyriakou.
“World Wetlands Day is all about educating people on the importance of our wetlands and our team at the centre are always available to answer any questions.”
The full programme of events at the Akrotiri Environmental and Education centre will run from 8.30am until 7.30pm and it is free to anyone wishing to take part. To book your place you are advised to call the centre on 2582 6562 before February 2.
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