Pafos Live 11 February 2026
By Dr. Michalis Ieridis, Secretary General of CYMEPA
This week we will hand over to teachers the backpacks with the equipment they will use to train students participating in the FBI – Forest Bureau of Investigation project. For some, this may seem like another organizational detail of an educational program. For us at CYMEPA, however, this moment has a deeper meaning: it marks the transition from theory to practice, from design to live learning experience.
The FBI project was born from a simple but essential realization: we cannot talk to children about environmental protection if we do not first give them the opportunity to get to know it. Not through slides and manuals, but through direct contact with the forest, observation, discovery and – above all – curiosity.
With backpacks in the forest!
When we designed the CYMEPA proposal, our goal was not just to create an "attractive" program. We wanted something meaningful, experiential and applicable, which could be truly integrated into school everyday life. The fact that the project was internationally distinguished within the framework of the LEAF Programme, among dozens of proposals, confirmed to us that this direction was the right direction.
The backpacks we deliver are not just "educational material". They are tools of empowerment. With them, students turn into little researchers: they observe traces, study biodiversity, understand how forests or meadows are linked to our food, health and quality of life. They learn to ask questions and seek answers – valuable skills, far beyond the environmental field.
Teachers are key
We also pay particular attention to the role of teachers. The FBI was designed to support them substantially, offering structured tools, clear instructions, and flexibility. We are not asking teachers to "add weight" to their program, but to acquire a means that will enrich their teaching.
In an era where environmental crises often seem abstract or distant, I deeply believe that the answer lies in education that starts early and is based on experiential knowledge. If children learn to love and understand the natural environment, then they protect it not because they "have to," but because they feel it is their own. And that's the FBI's real goal.
At the grassroots level, young people
As an organization, in the majority of our actions, we systematically involve young students in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth because we are convinced that environmental awareness is not "cultivated" through proclamations, but through proper education and experiential involvement from an early age. This commitment is not new; It has been an integral part of our philosophy since the beginning of our operation. A great example is the Adopt a Ship program, in collaboration with the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, which this year completes about 20 years of successful implementation and has brought dozens of students into direct contact with issues of shipping, maritime safety and protection of the marine environment, through collaborations with ships and marine professionals. It also opens up employment horizons for them in the blue professions.
Only when we invest in the knowledge and experiences of young people will we see the profound changes we all envision for our environment and sustainable development. And this is what we seek with all our initiatives.
