On-going projects

Laona Foundation / On-going projects

On-going projects (2020-2021 despite Covid-19)

  • Setting up a new bicommunal NGO, The Cyprus Environmental Stakeholders Forum, to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between environmental NGOs across the divide between the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus. Funded by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and supported by UNFICYP.
  • Putting Cyprus in the Classroom, a bicommunal project for primary school teachers involving lectures and study visits to select locations that provide material for their classroom lessons. Funded by the Orange Tulips programme of the Netherlands Embassy (currently on-hold due to Covid-19).
  • Access of NGOs to justice on environmental matters. Preparation of an on-line publication on the issue, in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Civil Society Advocates and organising a webinar in February 2021 in cooperation with the UCLan university of Cyprus (Greek: http://www.fes.de/cgi-bin/gbv.cgi?id=17388&ty=pdf, English: http://www.fes.de/cgi-bin/gbv.cgi?id=17387&ty=pdf).
  • Survey on up-take of CAP agro-environmental inventories by cereal growers (in cooperation with Open University Cyprus, KES Research Centre) and submission of comments to the Department of Agriculture on the new CAP proposals.
  • Research, design, and preparation of a guide for weavers on Fytiotiko weaving, funded by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and the Handicraft Service of the Ministry of Commerce (to be published in 2021).
  • Beyond Cultural Tourism, preparation for and participation in a Horizon 2020 project starting early in 2021 in cooperation with 14 other partners from 10 countries, led by the Italian Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development (IRISS).
  • Desertification in Cyprus: a series of actions are under design (in cooperation with other agencies) and include awareness-raising among the candidates for the Parliamentary elections of May 2021.

Annual activity:

Bicommunal 3-day workshop for young eco-journalists. The event is composed of lectures and a field visit concerning a particular environmental issue, with participants in small groups preparing and presenting a media presentation

Eco-journalism workshop 2017 – Considering the effect of the potential
developments on rural landscape and ecology

Eco-journalism workshop 2018 – Learning about impacts of the abandoned mine at Lefke

Eco-journalism workshop 2019 – Learning about sustainable agriculture practiced
on the Atsas estate

-journalism workshop 2020 – The consequences of Covid-19 on the Environment
(will now be held online)