Source: cyprus-mail.com
The annual Thalassa festival will return to Limassol on Saturday, October 10, bringing together more than 30 public and private bodies to promote Cyprus’ maritime sector and the opportunities offered by the Blue Economy, organisers said on Friday.
The festival, which will be held at the Seafront Multifunctional Park on Limassol’s Molos, will open at 9am, with President Nikos Christodoulides due to officially open the event at 10am.
Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis said the festival had become an established event for Limassol and Cyprus after four successful editions and attracted large numbers of visitors.
“Our aim through the festival, which carries the slogan ‘Experience the sea, discover shipping’, is to bring the public closer to the sea and highlight the importance of shipping and the Blue Economy for the development and prosperity of Cyprus,” Hadjimanolis said.
She explained that this would enable “citizens, and particularly young people, to discover the sea, not only as a source of recreation and sport, but also as a field of knowledge, studies and professional opportunities,” .
The minister further stated that while Cyprus has one of the largest merchant fleets in Europe and globally, the wider public did not always have a full picture of the opportunities offered by the maritime and shipping sectors.
“Through the festival, we seek to bridge this gap and present the world of the sea in a direct, interactive and experiential way,” she added.
More than 30 public and private bodies, organisations, services and academic institutions active in shipping and maritime affairs will participate in this year’s festival.
Particular emphasis will be placed on young people, with the organisers seeking to introduce them to a modern and dynamic part of the economy and demonstrate that shipping extends well beyond vessels to encompass a wide range of professions and scientific disciplines.
The opening ceremony will feature a passage of vessels from the National Guard Naval Command, the Port and Marine Police, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, the Cyprus Ports Authority, P&O Maritime and VTS Vasiliko Terminal Services.
The programme will conclude in the evening with a free concert by Greek singer Haris Varthakouris at the main square of Limassol’s Old Port.
Hadjimanolis thanked Royal Caribbean for its longstanding support of the festival, as well as Limassol municipality and all participating organisations.
Limassol mayor Yiannis Armeftis said the event, which began five years ago, had become an important institution for a city whose history, development and identity were closely connected with the sea.
“The sea has historically been a source of life, communication and outward-looking activity, while today shipping, the port, maritime transport and the businesses operating around them are important pillars of economic activity in our city and our country,” Armeftis said.
“At the same time, the Blue Economy, research, technology and protection of the marine environment are opening new paths and new prospects for the future,” he added.
Armeftis said the municipality also wanted the festival to strengthen public respect for the sea and awareness of the responsibility to protect it.
“Through such events, as the Limassol municipality we want to strengthen respect for the sea and the responsibility we all have for its protection,” he stated.
He thanked the Deputy Ministry of Shipping for its “consistent and productive cooperation” in organising the festival, as well as its sponsors, participating bodies and everyone working on the event.
The organisers invited residents and visitors to attend the festival at Limassol’s Molos on Saturday and the evening concert at the Old Port.