It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I welcome today's webinar, which takes place in the context of the World Internet Safety Day.
With the motto: "Together for a better Internet", we join - again this year - our voices in a collective effort to raise awareness and encourage positive change on the Internet. We are celebrating the positive power of the Internet again this year, sending an enthusiastic message about the need to create a safer Internet for all.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth (MCSYF), particularly sensitive to issues of creative, responsible and safe use of the Internet, is organizing this conference as a culmination of its actions related to Internet Safety.
The widespread use of modern technologies in general, and of the Internet in particular, are an integral part of various aspects of our modern life. In particular, since the spring of 2020, the pandemic coronavirus crisis (COVID-19) has inevitably led to an even greater use of Information and Communication Technologies, further demonstrating the importance of using digital technologies in a critical, responsible and effective manner.
It is well documented that engaging children and young people in online environments and digital technologies provides a wide range of opportunities and experiences to learn, create, innovate, communicate, collaborate and participate in society.
At the same time, however, online technologies contain challenges and pose significant risks, demonstrating the necessity of educating children and young people to understand the risks and encourage healthy, safe and meaningful uses of the Internet.
Therefore, the ultimate goal of today's workshop is to inform you, our students, about issues related to the use of the Internet and its challenges. At the same time, today is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on how we can contribute to shaping a better Internet. The motto of International Internet Safety Day: "Together for a better Internet" is a broad invitation to us to actively contribute to a safer and more creative Internet. Through responsible, critical and respectful use of the Internet, each and every one of us can act as an agent of positive and meaningful change.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, particularly sensitive to issues of safe use of the Internet, offers, through the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, a series of programmes and actions aimed at informing and educating on responsible, safe and creative use of the Internet. Indicatively, the programmes of the Educational Technology Sector, among others, are noted: "Safe School for the Internet" and "Young Educators for the Internet", where teachers and students of all levels have the opportunity to participate in the design and implementation of Internet Safety actions.
In addition, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, responding to the continuous developments of online and digital technologies, has adopted a variety of related policies on practices and information for their safe, effective and creative use. In particular, it is noted that our Ministry, responding to the need to protect our children and young people from the growing challenges of the Internet and digital technologies, under the coordination of the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, developed and coordinates the "National Strategy for a Better Internet for Children in Cyprus", thus formulating a comprehensive National Information and Awareness Programme for children, teachers and parents.
It is noted that, as of 1 July 2016, actions related to the safe and responsible use of the Internet are supported through the project "Cyprus Internet Safety Centre-CYberSafety". This project is coordinated by the Pedagogical Institute, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, with the aim of creating an Internet safety culture. It is worth mentioning, in the context of the Centre's activities, the operation through our Ministry of the Helpline and Complaints 1480, which is now well established, providing advisory and other services on the Internet.
In conclusion, please allow me to warmly congratulate CYTA (ATHK) for co-organizing today's Workshop and for the constructive cooperation it is developing with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth.
I hope - and I am sure of it - that the proceedings of today's Workshop will be a great success and make a constructive contribution so that each and every one of us can make a positive difference on the Internet, contributing, with respect and responsibility, to the promotion of a safer, and therefore better Internet for all.
So let's come together and build a better Internet ... because, let's not forget that a Better Internet starts with all of us!!!
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Note. Neophytos Papadopoulos.
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