Next Century Foundation Research Officer Freddie Holloway will be representing the Next Century Foundation in Cyprus this week at a bi-communal conference co-organized in partnership with the Cyprus Peace and
Dialogue Center and the Glafkos Clerides Institute.
Cypriot scientists and peace activists will gather at the Ledra Palace Hotel on 26-27 October 2023 to
discuss ways of increasing bi-communal co-operation on Cyprus’s water, waste management, and
energy infrastructure, which will also attract leading experts and academics from around the world.
The Representation of the European Commission in Cyprus, the European Parliament Liaison Office
in Cyprus, and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) are supporting the
initiative.
Professor Frithjof Kuepper, Chair in Marine Biodiversity at the University of Aberdeen and lead
organizer of the conference, states, ‘Finding shared solutions to Cyprus’s water scarcity issues is
eminently possible – we hope to build on the precedent of Nicosia’s bi-communal wastewater
treatment infrastructure to increase island-wide access to facilities such as desalination, as well as a
joined-up approach to waste management, recycling, and energy issues.’
In a joint statement, Ms Katherine Clerides of the Glafkos Clerides Institute and Dr Meltem Onurkan
Samani of the Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Center, say, ‘In the face of the ever more evident
challenges of climate change, co-operation on basic necessities, such as access to safe, clean water,
is key for building trust between our two communities and fostering an environment in which a
peaceful resolution to the long-standing conflict can be found.’
They add, ‘We hope that the conference will be the first step towards establishing a bi-communal
group of experts on water, energy, and waste management. This will encourage further detailed
discussion, and provide valuable input to relevant bi-communal technical committees.’
Site visits to the Mia Milia/Haspolat and Larnaca Wastewater Treatment Plants, alongside the
Dhekelia Desalination Plant, will take place on the weekend of 28-29 October, giving attendees
insight into exciting technical developments and encouraging the exploration of new possibilities for
sharing infrastructure and expertise between the two communities.
The in-person event is open to all – to register, RSVP by email to 03fholloway@gmail.com,
fkuepper@abdn.ac.uk, contact@cypdc.org, or kclerides@clerides.org.
