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It is with great pleasure that I participate in tonight's inauguration of the "Planetarium Cyprus Tamasos and Orini".
Let me begin by warmly praising and congratulating the initiators of the initiative, His Eminence Metropolitan Isaias of Tamassos and Orini, as well as Mr.
The interest and love they have for our land, and especially for the region, was the reason for the realization of their common vision, for the creation of the Planetarium.
The interest and love they have for our land, and especially for the region, was the reason for the realization of their common vision, for the creation of the Planetarium.
A vision that is in line with the rest of the noble, selfless activity they develop, and is always guided by the contribution and positive impact on the whole of Cypriot society.
The, admittedly, impressive project, and we must congratulate both the architect and the contractor, which we are inaugurating today, creates, among many other things, new conditions and prospects for the development of the science of astronomy, the development of research and innovation, and I am glad that Mr. I am delighted that Mr Kokkinos is here, this project was launched during his term of office and I congratulate him on the role he has played and on the exploitation of the various possibilities offered by cutting-edge space technology.
The Planetarium - Observatory, which is staffed by an experienced and fully scientifically trained team, as one of the largest in Europe, and the most modern so far, has state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facilities, as well as innovative building infrastructure, utilising advanced technologies from abroad.
The complex of multifunctional spaces and services of the Planetarium, as another powerful tool now available to the scientific and academic community, and not only, will become a centre of educational and research activity and training. The presence of the Minister of Education here is the best indication of how it will also be used by the Ministry of Education.
Already, the Planetarium, which operates under the scientific support of the "Interstellar Institute", is contracted with similar institutions abroad. This fact contributes to its international visibility, increasing its dynamics, bringing Cyprus in contact with dynamic ecosystems abroad, while confirming the quality of its educational, scientific and cultural activities.
Apart from its scientific importance, the Planetarium, as a space open to the general public, allowing experiential contact, will be an ideal destination for every age group, offering unique experiences of observation of phenomena, education and entertainment.
At the same time, the other multiplier benefits resulting from its operation are very important.
It is enough to note that, by placing our country on the world map, and it is no exaggeration, of quality planetariums and, at the same time, taking advantage of the professional and scientific approach, we strengthen the sector of astrotourism, contributing to the enrichment of the offered thematic, tourist product and addressing the seasonality.
At the same time, the new jobs it has created, both during construction and then during its full operation, as well as the revitalization of the wider region, create optimistic prospects for economic, and not only, development.
Recognizing the importance and the benefits for our country of the operation of a Planetarium-Astronomical Observatory of the size that we are inaugurating today, I want to assure you that the State, the Government will stand by your side, assisting you, so that we can make the most of the potential that its operation can yield.
Already, the Planetarium has been included in the astrotourism programme in Cyprus.
Already, the Planetarium has been included in the astrotourism programme in Cyprus.
At the same time, as with the other related institutions in our country, synergies are planned, among others, with Ministries/ Deputy Ministries and other Services of the State, in order to ensure the optimal utilization of such an important infrastructure, both on a scientific and educational level by promoting training and education activities.
It is a fact that Cyprus, by developing public and private business and scientific activities, presents in recent years a dynamic development in terms of the exploration and development of the planetarium. The first to talk about these issues was George Tzivas in 2013, and I remember very few people paid attention to what he was saying. So, my friend George, you have been vindicated after all these years.
Among other things, the creation of Centres of Excellence in Earth Observation and Geoinformatics and emerging cutting-edge technological areas, the creation of the National Troodos Observatory, as well as the continuous strengthening of Cyprus' cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), the focal point of which is expected to be the transition of our country to Associate Member status, have made our country a strong partner in peaceful space development.
It is in this dynamic that our country has gained, which we want to continue as a Government, setting as our strategic goal and high priority to make our small Cyprus with great potential, a regional scientific and digital hub in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Cyprus can and should also invest in technological development, beyond the traditional sectors of the economy, in order to expand its development model and create a more competitive and resilient economy.
Cyprus can and should exploit the potential of new sectors in terms of, among others, socio-economic prosperity and development, environmental protection, security, defence, creation of new jobs. We remain committed to the implementation of the National Space Strategy for the years 2022-2027, we are making targeted investments in research and technology and, on the basis of the coherent policy we are adopting, we are creating new conditions and prospects for building a strong ecosystem for space technologies and services.
We remain committed to the implementation of the National Space Strategy for the years 2022-2027, we are investing in a targeted manner in the field of research and technology and, on the basis of the coherent policy we are adopting, we are creating new conditions and prospects for building a strong ecosystem for space technologies and services.
In this context, and by utilising first and foremost our country's remarkable, capable human potential, we will achieve our vision of Cyprus becoming a knowledge-based society, founded on modern technologies and innovations.
I would like once again to congratulate His Eminence Metropolitan Isaias of Tamassos and Mountains and Mr. Vyacheslav Zarenkov, who, as I said at the beginning, conceived the idea of creating the Planetarium, delivering to our country today a project that is characterized by a strong social and scientific dimension.
I have absolutely no doubt that the operation of the Planetarium, under the guidance of the members of the Board of Directors and the supervision of the Executive Director, Mr. Christos Triantaphyllides and his team, will record new pages of high contribution of our country in the rapidly changing field of space technologies.
(PM/MB)
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