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It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be here today, at the final and the award ceremony of the "mind REset" programme of Junior Achievement Cyprus. A programme that promotes the principles of circular economy and environmental entrepreneurship to children, and an event that highlights and rewards the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of the new generation.
For everything we want to achieve or change, we must start with the new generation, with children. If we as a country and as a society want to develop a positive attitude towards the environment and adopt the principles of the circular economy in every aspect of our daily lives, we must start with children. That is why it is particularly encouraging to see students here today embracing the principles of the circular economy and innovating in the context of environmental entrepreneurship.
I would like to thank Junior Achievement Cyprus and its Executive Director Ms Antigoni Komodikis for the initiative to organise the programme, which is running this year for the third consecutive year, as well as its strategic partner, Lidl Cyprus, for supporting the programme, which is implemented free of charge in public and private schools throughout Cyprus, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth.
The institutional cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth and the support provided to the programme are proof of the political will of the Christodoulides Government to support any effort that fosters environmental awareness and the promotion of circular economy principles. Moreover, actions that promote the cultivation of environmental awareness are a priority of the governance programme.
Participation in experiential programmes, such as those organised by Junior Achievement Cyprus, is an important step towards empowering the younger generations, providing them with the skills and inspiration to become pioneers in protecting our planet.
Participation in experiential programmes, such as those organised by Junior Achievement Cyprus, is an important step towards empowering the younger generations, providing them with the skills and inspiration to become pioneers in protecting our planet. It is my belief that the way to a sustainable future is through education and the active participation of children and young people in such initiatives. That is why I could not but support today's effort.
The transition to the circular economy model and the promotion of its principles is a top priority of the President's programme of governance. It is being promoted through the strengthening and implementation of the national action plan for the circular economy, but also through other policies and measures, such as the "Pay as you spend" and "Sorting at Source" measures, which are expected to be implemented on a nationwide basis soon, as well as the "Zero Waste to Landfill" programme which serves the principles of the circular economy by promoting sustainable practices such as recycling, composting and rational waste management. The project was announced in April 2023, as a joint initiative of First Lady Filippas Carcera Christodoulides and the Office of the Environment Commissioner to transform the Presidential Palace into a Zero Waste to Landfill Building. The project has now been transferred to the Ministry I head, with the ultimate goal of converting all Ministry and Deputy Ministry buildings into Zero Waste Buildings. I am also pleased and satisfied to note that the initiative has started to be transferred to schools, making the schools that have started to implement it a pioneer in the sustainable management of their waste. And I am sure that more schools will follow.
In conclusion, I would like to address the competing teams in today's final and wish them good luck and congratulate all the students who participated in the "mind REset" project. Over 345 students, aged 10-14, have worked to create innovative products and services, demonstrating that they have the vision and creativity to drive positive change. You are to be congratulated for your creativity and hard work. Well done for having the courage to 'reset' your thinking and the power to transform your ideas into action, for a better future for all of us.
(EN/NG/EATH)
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