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It is my distinct honor to
welcome you here today to the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth for the
signing of the “Programme on Educational, Scientific, Cultural, Youth and
sports cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the
Government of the State of Israel for the years 2023-2026”.
This Cooperation Programme that
we are signing today is a continuation of the previous Cooperation Programme
in the same fields, which was signed in 2016 and expired in 2022. The two
sides agreed to proceed with the renewal and updating of the Programme for
the years 2023-2026, convinced that this cooperation will continue to
contribute to the development of their relations and to enhance youth
awareness of the history and culture of our two countries.
In response to the initiative
of the Israeli side, this Ministry took the necessary actions to formulate a
new text that meets current needs. The text has been checked by the competent
directorates and organizations under this Ministry. Due to the particular
issues included in this Cooperation Programme, the Deputy Ministry of
Culture, the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy and
the State Archives were also consulted and expressed their agreement with the
updated text.
Today's event demonstrates in
practice the will of the competent authorities of the Republic of Cyprus and
the State of Israel to strengthen mutual understanding and promote
cooperation between the two countries in the fields of education, research,
culture, sport and youth. Cyprus and Israel maintain close and friendly
relations and it is our intention to further strengthen these relations for
the benefit of the citizens of both countries.
The signing of this Cooperation
Programme supports the mission of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth
for the internationalization of Cypriot education and sport. In addition to
these pillars, it promotes modern Cypriot artistic creation. These aims are
in line with our government’s goal of implementing a strategy of cultural
diplomacy that establishes Cyprus as a hub of culture and a gateway to Europe
from the East. In this context, the development of our cooperation with a
very important neighboring country, such as Israel, now takes on particular
importance. This Cooperation Programme aims to upgrade our cooperation with
Israel, within the framework of the aforementioned matters of mutual
interest, to the highest possible level.
More specifically, this
cooperation program seeks to strengthen the work of the respective, competent
authorities in the following areas:
(1) Higher Education and
Cooperation between Universities and Research Centers,
(2) Teacher Training,
(3) School Autonomy,
(4) Special Education,
(5) Education for gifted
children,
(6) Formal and Informal
education,
(7) Adult Education and
Life-long Learning,
(8) Education for Sustainable
Development, green transition and climate action,
(9) Technical and Vocational
Education and Training,
(10) Youth Contribution to
Society,
(11) Interdisciplinary Learning
(literature, cinema, etc.),
(12) Sports Exchanges,
(13) Cultural Heritage and
Archaeology,
(14) Holocaust Education and
Research.
As per this last area, I must
make specific mention of the commitment of our Ministry to the proper
educational provision on the subject of the Holocaust. The practical interest
of our Ministry to fight anti-Semitism and to educate young people on the
sensitive topic of the Holocaust is demonstrated through the relevant actions
implemented in Cypriot public schools and the impeccable cooperation that
exists between our ministry and Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance
Center.
Just last week, 25 secondary
school teachers from Cyprus participated in a training seminar on teaching
the Holocaust, organized at the Yad Vashem facilities in Jerusalem. In fact,
we are currently in the process of renewing the Memorandum of Understanding,
signed in 2016, between this Ministry and Yad Vashem.
I would like to take this
opportunity to stress that, amongst our highest priorities, is the will to
provide our young students with the necessary resources to contribute to a
society that values solidarity and respects diversity. By emphasizing
universal principles and values, human rights, democracy and the rule of law,
we help our young people to develop critical thinking and a sense of social
responsibility, rooting out discrimination and prejudice in all forms.
Through preserving the collective memory of the Holocaust—and all that it
represents--we can protect a just, modern society and its values against the
ever-present threat of denial, revisionism and rejectionism.
Finally, I would like to
express my warm thanks to the Embassy of Israel for its responsiveness and
contribution to the completion of the whole process, and especially to the
Ambassador Oren Anolik for his sincere will to further strengthen bilateral
relations between Cyprus and Israel.
On the occasion of the signing
of this Cooperation Programme, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth
considers the continuous strengthening of our relations with the State of
Israel to be of the utmost importance. It is my sincere hope that the
Cooperation Programme we are signing today will contribute further to the
inextricable connection between our two countries.
ΙP
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