News
AKTI Partners with Norsensus Mediaforum for Digital Engagement!
We are excited to announce a dynamic collaboration between AKTI Project and Research Centre, and Norsensus Mediaforum, a Norwegian non-profit media organisation, within the framework of the project ‘’Communication tools for effective public engagement and advocacy’’.
Following their excellent partnership and collaboration, for the project ‘’AdvocaCY: Participate, learn, decide, challenge: stronger Cypriot civil society for sustainability, advocacy, and change!’’, which benefits from a grant under the Active Citizens Fund Cyprus program, the two organisations are joining forces once again. Their new initiative aims to enhance AKTI’s digital presence while boosting its capabilities for public engagement, with a particular focus on leveraging digital communication tools and practices.
Through a three-day training /capacity-building activity with Norsensus Mediaforum in Oslo, Norway, AKTI’s team will gain valuable insights and knowledge to maximize public outreach, improve digital communication, and build stronger networks.
AKTI’s AdvocaCY project, identified key needs within the Civil Society of Cyprus, including capacity building for better public outreach, enhanced digital communication skills, and effective networking. This partnership will empower AKTI to address these needs by learning from Norsensus Mediaforum’s expertise and experience, while the knowledge gained will be shared through the AdvocaCY project, creating a spill-over effect. Ultimately, this initiative will result in a powerful digital communication capacity-building tool, fostering more effective public engagement not only for AKTI but also for CSOs across the island and creating networks of active citizens.
Stay tuned for more information!
The ”Digital communication tools for effective public engagement and advocacy” project, benefits from a grant under the Active Citizens Fund Cyprus programme, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, through the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021.
Press release: Cypriot researchers are transferring knowledge about innovative bioplastic products in Croatia, Greece, and Montenegro.
In Croatia, Greece, and Montenegro, Cypriot researchers from AKTI Project and Research Centre and ISOTECH Ltd environmental research and consultancy conducted knowledge transfer events related to bioplastics, as part of the research project “SEALIVE”. The knowledge transfer events included an exhibition of the eight bioplastic products developed by SEALIVE, as well as the implementation of participatory workshops involving key stakeholders, to identify challenges in the use of bioplastic products and potential solutions.
The Cypriot researchers embarked on an intensive journey. This began on September 26th, 2023, in Dubrovnik, Croatia, continued to Kumbor, Montenegro on September 28th, 2023, and most recently reached Chania, on the Greek island of Crete on October 2nd, 2023. In cooperation with local organisations, such as Maritimo Recycling in Croatia, the SeaTecHub project team in Montenegro, and the Cretan organisation IFOAM AgriBioMediterreneo, they informed over 500 stakeholders during the exhibition of the eight bioplastic SEALIVE products and conducted three decision-making workshops involving a total of 178 selected stakeholders from various sectors, including local and regional government, fisheries, aquaculture, plastic producers, academics, researchers, representatives of the maritime sector, technical advisors, and conservationists of protected areas.
Dr. Xenia I. Loizidou, who was responsible for the scientific aspects of the events, stated to the Cyprus News Agency, “Plastic pollution poses one of the greatest threats to our planet. There is an urgent need to supply the market with alternative products that do not rely on fossil fuels. We are pleased with the overwhelming participation in our events in these three countries. It reflects the significant interest from both the market and society in environmentally friendly materials. We look forward to the rapid transition to green practices in the plastics industry, as plastic pollution has reached a critical point, and our planet’s resilience is at stake. We take pride as Cypriot scientists in sharing knowledge and technology to advance sustainability on the international stage.”
Click here for the Greek version of the press release: https://www.cna.org.cy/article/5626977/erevnites-apo-akti-kai-isotech-se-kroatia-chania-mavroboynio-ga-to-sealive
More information about the project is available at https://sealive.eu/
Tiganokinisi is back and it’s fueling future with eco-power!
New chapter, same dedication
Tiganokinisi is back on the road after the summer break with all the excitement of a grand premiere, and today marked the beginning of a new school year with an inspiring visit to Aglantzias D Elementary School!
The program, dedicated to environmental education and sustainability, aims to ignite curiosity and awareness in students about pressing ecological issues, like the recycling of domestic used cooking oil. Throughout the year, Tiganokinisi will continue to visit schools and delve into topics like sustainable practices and circular economy.
Stay tuned for updates and engaging activities as we nurture a collective commitment to a greener future!
For more information about Tiganokinisi and its mission, please visit http://www.tiganokinisi.eu/.
Innovative bioplastic products for marine and terrestrial applications were presented in Chania, Crete!
AdvocaCY’s first co-creation café
AdvocaCY’s first co-creation café, took place on 24th September 2023, at 10:00, at Kormakitis Centre for Cooperation – KCC, with the participation of stakeholders from smaller and larger CSOs, NGOs and informal groups, from across the island.
During the co-creation café participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices for capacity building on sustainability and climate change related issues, and to identify collaboration opportunities.
Successful completion of the first #SEALIVE knowledge transfer event in Croatia!
The event “Biobased Plastics for Marine and Terrestrial Applications: Exhibition, Knowledge Transfer & Workshop” under the “SEALIVE” project was successfully completed on the 26/09/2023 at Love Bar in Dubrovnik, with the attendance of 62 participants from areas such as local and regional government, fisheries, aquaculture, plastic producers and consultants.
The aim of the event, organised by AKTI Project and Research Centre and Isotech Ltd from Cyprus alongside Maritimo Recycling from Croatia, was to introduce the SEALIVE project and these 8 biobased products to key stakeholders and to facilitate knowledge exchange related to the project and its products. The event also encouraged potential synergistic and collaborative opportunities between the participants as well as with the organisers.
The workshop implemented as part of the event, aimed to disseminate knowledge on plastic pollution, climate change and bioplastic alternatives, engage the participants, learn more about their perceptions and experiences, and document suggested solutions identified from their perspective. The event concluded with an exhibition where participants could observe the SEALIVE products, ask questions, and network with a selection of finger-food and drinks.
The SEALIVE (Strategies of circular economy and advanced biobased solutions to keep our lands and seas alive from plastics contamination) project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement No 862910. This output reflects only the author’s view and the European Union cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
Learn more at www.sealive.eu
Watch the video of the event here:
SEALIVE: Exhibition, Knowledge Transfer & Workshop, Croatia
AKTI alongside ISOTECH LTD and Maritimo Recycling are organising the first knowledge transfer event for the SEALIVE project in Croatia!
The event is titled: “Biobased Plastics for Marine and Terrestrial Applications: Exhibition, Knowledge Transfer & Workshop” and aims to introduce the 8 biobased products of the SEALIVE project: fishing nets, fishing crates, oyster mesh bags, agricultural mulching film, deep frozen film, flexible food film, and cutlery.
The event will facilitate knowledge exchange related to the project and these products as well as encourage synergistic and collaborative opportunities.
This event in Croatia is the first of 5 countries to host these events with the remaining countries including Greece, Malta, Bulgaria and Georgia.
TIGANOKINISI goes to… Fork Food Market
Fork Food Market is contributing to the Tiganokinisi initiative by collecting their used cooking oil (UCO) in one of our Tiganokinisi barrels that will be available on site, in the upcoming Fork Food Market, on 22nd September, at Nicosia Municipal Gardens.
You can also support this effort by bringing your own UCO!
‘Tiganokinisi’ is an educational-environmental program that promotes sustainability and environmental responsibility through the collection of harmful used cooking oil (UCO), to over 450 schools around Cyprus. The collected UCO can be transformed into biodiesel, and schools gain resources for environmental education and support of their environmental infrastructure, for the benefit of students all over Cyprus. It is implemented by the non-profit, non-governmental organization AKTI Project and Research Centre in collaboration with the Pedagogic Institute of Cyprus.
Η ΑΚΤΗ μιλάει για την πλαστική ρύπανση στις Ειδήσεις των 20:00, στο ΡΙΚ
Η ομάδα της ΑΚΤΗς φιλοξενήθηκε στο κεντρικό δελτίο ειδήσεων του ΡΙΚ, όπου μιλήσαμε σχετικά με την έρευνα που διεξάγουμε για την καταγραφή της ρύπανσης στις ακτές τις Κύπρου, την πλαστική ρύπανση και τα μικροπλαστικά, και τα αλιευτικά δίκτυα που αναπτύχθηκαν με βάση υλικά βιολογικής προέλευσης, μέσα στα πλαίσια του Ευρωπαικού προγράμματος Ορίζοντας 2020, SEALIVE, τα οποία υποβάλλονται σε δοκιμές στις θάλασσες της Κύπρου από μια ομάδα 10 εθελοντών Κυπρίων ψαράδων.
AdvocaCY’s 3rd Awareness-raising campaign is now live!
Within the framework of the AdvocaCY project, AKTI implements awareness-raising campaigns about human rights, specifically the right to a healthy and sustainable environment, and about the role of CSOs to advocate for these rights.
The two previous awareness-raising campaigns run throughout the whole month of February and June 2023, focusing on:
- civil rights, specifically as they relate to the environment (February 2023)
- the role of CSOs in society (June 2023)
Following our two previous campaigns, our third and final campaign, ‘Public consultations and why it’s important to contribute’, is now live! Have a look here.
New material added every other day, for the entire month of September 2023.