On the 24th of March, 2018, a special event commemorating International “Earth Hour” was held at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia. In attendance as a VIP guest alongside President Nikos Anastasiades, was Dr. Julia Georgi, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Architecture, Land, and Environmental Sciences at Neapolis University in Cyprus. The event was organized by the Office of the Environment Commissioner, Ioanna Panagiotou.
President Anastasiades addressed the ceremony, outlining the important and vital work carried out by the Commissioner and her Office. Mrs Panagiotou also spoke, expressing her gratitude to the many attending Diplomatic Dignitaries for their ongoing support. Guests at the event, were also students from the Primary school of Limassol participating by means of their own visual and musical creations. The students artwork expressed our collective roles as “stewards” of our environment, highlighting the needs for recycling and use of green energies.
All lights were switched off at one point during the commemoration, symbolizing a commitment to not waste energy. The temporary blackout gave those in attendance an opportunity to gaze up at the night sky, either through the naked eye or telescopes provided, and marvel at the wonders and beauty of our natural environment.