Photo by
Stavros Ioannides - PIO/TPS-IL on 3 January, 2023
School Event For Project Co-founded By Israel In Cyprus ‘To Be Reviewed’
By
Kostis Konstantinou
• 23 May, 2025
Jerusalem, 23 May, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- The Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth of Cyprus will review procedural issues relating to the organisation of an event to present a project at the 1st Primary School of Agios Dometios, which the Israeli Embassy co-funded, Minister Athina Michaelidou told the Cyprus News Agency on Friday.
‘Perhaps the timing is not right, as it is linked to many other things happening in our region. We understand this with the utmost sensitivity,’ she added.
The Cyprus Communist Party (AKEL) and its affiliated teachers’ union (Proodeftiki) protested, citing ‘security reasons’ as well as ‘the message which the event sends, given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip’, which as they said, ‘is under Israeli blockade’.
‘We were informed after seeing a publication’, the minister noted, ‘that an event was scheduled to take place in the evening, not during school hours, on 17 June in the multipurpose hall of the first school to have a green roof, as part of environmental awareness activities at a primary school in Nicosia.’
Ms Michaelidou explained that ‘this environmental project is part of our education initiatives and is co-funded by the Israeli Embassy under a memorandum of cooperation that has been in place for many years’, adding that ‘unfortunately, this is being exploited politically’.
‘When we are ready, we will provide details on the procedural aspects,’ Ms Michaelidou added, emphasising that there are no security or teaching-related issues whatsoever . ‘We will consider things very carefully for practical reasons and make our announcements,’ Athina Michaelidou explained, noting that ‘participation by children and parents is voluntary and parental consent is a prerequisite’, before adding that this is one of the issues that will be examined.
Τhe event would also be organized to mark Israel’s Independence Day.
