Filenews 16 November 2024 - by Dora Christodoulou
This organization has goals set by many other organizations and bodies in Cyprus, such as protecting the environment, promoting recycling, informing citizens about energy issues and transforming the communities of our country into green communities. This organization, however, is not like any other, since its founders and members are exclusively elders. These are the elders of six communities of the Chrysochous district in the Pafos district, as well as of Tylliria, which a few months ago formed the organization "The Elders create Green Communities".
The woman who was inspired and pioneered the implementation of the association is the wife of father Polyvios, priest of the Steni community, Mary Charalambous. Speaking to "F", the elder, who is a mother of two adult children, pointed out that the organization complies with all legal provisions of its operation, aiming to preserve and upgrade the environment, promote recycling and raise awareness among citizens in communities on energy issues. In this context, Mrs. Charalambous stressed, the first event organized by the "Elders create Green Communities" is included tomorrow Sunday at the park of Agia Marina Chrysochous.
"I wanted," he stresses, "through an organization to contribute to the strengthening of environmental consciousness, starting initially with the community where I live, which is Agia Marina Chrysochous. Our goal is to cover the wider area of Chrysochous and Paphos, but also to raise awareness if possible throughout Cyprus."
Referring to the establishment of the organization, the elder of the priest of Steni mentions that within the short period of life of the organization, the elders of six communities of the districts of Chrysochous and Tylliria joined and actively participate in it: Agia Marina, Peristeronas, Polis, Prodromiou, Pachyammos and Platanistasa.
She also pointed out that she coordinates recycling so far in nine communities, Pachyammos, Kinoussa, Pomos, Nea Dimmata, Agia Marina Chrysochous, Gialia, Makounta, Pelathousa and Neo Chorio.
"After the six elders spoke and agreed on the idea of founding our organization," Mary Charalambous also stressed, "we put the idea before the Hierarchs of the Church, also because of our position as wives of priests. We met and discussed our intentions with Archbishop George of Cyprus and with Metropolitan Tychikos of Pafos, who gave us the green light," he said.
This happened just last July, when they registered their union and rolled up their sleeves, starting with the promotion of door-to-door recycling, sensitizing families initially in the Chrysochous area. Mrs. Charalambous herself also took over the van with which the paper, plastic, glass and aluminum objects are first collected and with which she transports them herself to a Green Point to go to recycling.
The headquarters of the organization "The Elders create Green Communities" is the village of the elder Mary Charalambous, Agia Marina Chrysochous.
Meanwhile, for the organization "The Elders create Green Communities", the festival they are organizing in Agia Marina Chrysochous tomorrow Sunday, will be the opportunity to inform their fellow villagers in more detail about their organization and their goals, while asking for their assistance in any way, mainly in matters of recycling, tree plantings that will be organized, cleaning beaches and promoting in general the idea of conservation and respect for the environment.
