Filenews 4 November 2022 - by Angelos Nicolaou
Distinguished experts from various parts of the world with broad and multidimensional experience in the governance and management of protected areas, coming from International Organizations, such as the World Bank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Europarc Federation, Universities and other Protected Areas, will be in Cyprus in November for Akamas.
The conference is particularly important since the successful examples of other countries will be presented and how they will be applied in the case of Akamas. The conference is organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and is entitled: Conservation, Management and Governance of Protected Areas – Implementation in the Akamas Peninsula and will take place in Akamas, at Droushia Heights Hotel, from Wednesday 23 to Friday 25 November 2022.
This conference aims to present and disseminate international experiences, good practices and successful examples related to the integrated management of protected areas and to discuss their implementation in Cyprus and especially in the case of the Akamas Peninsula.
Protected areas are primarily aimed at protecting biodiversity, but it is often overlooked that they can also contribute to economic and social development and recovery, based on sound and integrated planning. All these aspects are expected to be highlighted and discussed through the conference.
The conference has invited and will be attended by distinguished international experts with broad and multidimensional experience in the governance and management of protected areas. The conference will focus on issues such as the development of sustainable tourism around protected areas, the implementation of sustainable development models at local and national level focusing on protected areas, the implementation of investments in protected areas with the aim of creating environmental, economic and social benefits, consultation and participatory management with stakeholders and the local community, etc.
At the same time, on the occasion of the organization of the Conference and the visit of international experts to our country, a meeting is also organized between the Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Interior, Finance and Deputy Ministry of Tourism, as well as relevant Departments and Bodies. The meeting will be attended by special invited experts (Economists, Environmentalists, Urban Planners, Sociologists), who will discuss the above issues, aiming at the sustainable management of protected areas, based on the principles of cooperation and holistic treatment and approach.
In a statement to "F", Minister Costas Kadis underlined that Akamas is an area with unique natural and cultural wealth, which we have an obligation to protect, highlight and manage properly. "We need to plan the management of Akamas taking into account the most successful practices that have been developed internationally. The conference we are organizing is just an excellent opportunity to enrich the knowledge of all actors directly or indirectly involved in the management of Akamas, drawing on the best examples of protected areas worldwide." We believe'', he added, ''that the knowledge and experiences we will gain through the conference will help us turn the challenges we face as a state into opportunities. Using the right tools and the experience of other successful examples, I am confident that we can adopt management models of these valuable areas that will achieve the protection of biodiversity, along with sustainable economic and social development at local and national level," he concluded.
