Press Releases

It is my distinct honor to welcome you here today to the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth for the signing of the “Programme on Educational, Scientific, Cultural, Youth and sports cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the Government of the State of Israel for the years 2023-2026”.

This Cooperation Programme that we are signing today is a continuation of the previous Cooperation Programme in the same fields, which was signed in 2016 and expired in 2022. The two sides agreed to proceed with the renewal and updating of the Programme for the years 2023-2026, convinced that this cooperation will continue to contribute to the development of their relations and to enhance youth awareness of the history and culture of our two countries.

In response to the initiative of the Israeli side, this Ministry took the necessary actions to formulate a new text that meets current needs. The text has been checked by the competent directorates and organizations under this Ministry. Due to the particular issues included in this Cooperation Programme, the Deputy Ministry of Culture, the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy and the State Archives were also consulted and expressed their agreement with the updated text.

Today's event demonstrates in practice the will of the competent authorities of the Republic of Cyprus and the State of Israel to strengthen mutual understanding and promote cooperation between the two countries in the fields of education, research, culture, sport and youth. Cyprus and Israel maintain close and friendly relations and it is our intention to further strengthen these relations for the benefit of the citizens of both countries.

The signing of this Cooperation Programme supports the mission of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth for the internationalization of Cypriot education and sport. In addition to these pillars, it promotes modern Cypriot artistic creation. These aims are in line with our government’s goal of implementing a strategy of cultural diplomacy that establishes Cyprus as a hub of culture and a gateway to Europe from the East. In this context, the development of our cooperation with a very important neighboring country, such as Israel, now takes on particular importance. This Cooperation Programme aims to upgrade our cooperation with Israel, within the framework of the aforementioned matters of mutual interest, to the highest possible level.

More specifically, this cooperation program seeks to strengthen the work of the respective, competent authorities in the following areas:

(1) Higher Education and Cooperation between Universities and Research Centers,

(2) Teacher Training,

(3) School Autonomy,

(4) Special Education,

(5) Education for gifted children,

(6) Formal and Informal education,

(7) Adult Education and Life-long Learning,

(8) Education for Sustainable Development, green transition and climate action,

(9) Technical and Vocational Education and Training,

(10) Youth Contribution to Society,

(11) Interdisciplinary Learning (literature, cinema, etc.),

(12) Sports Exchanges,

(13) Cultural Heritage and Archaeology,

(14) Holocaust Education and Research.

As per this last area, I must make specific mention of the commitment of our Ministry to the proper educational provision on the subject of the Holocaust. The practical interest of our Ministry to fight anti-Semitism and to educate young people on the sensitive topic of the Holocaust is demonstrated through the relevant actions implemented in Cypriot public schools and the impeccable cooperation that exists between our ministry and Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center.

Just last week, 25 secondary school teachers from Cyprus participated in a training seminar on teaching the Holocaust, organized at the Yad Vashem facilities in Jerusalem. In fact, we are currently in the process of renewing the Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2016, between this Ministry and Yad Vashem.

I would like to take this opportunity to stress that, amongst our highest priorities, is the will to provide our young students with the necessary resources to contribute to a society that values solidarity and respects diversity. By emphasizing universal principles and values, human rights, democracy and the rule of law, we help our young people to develop critical thinking and a sense of social responsibility, rooting out discrimination and prejudice in all forms. Through preserving the collective memory of the Holocaust—and all that it represents--we can protect a just, modern society and its values against the ever-present threat of denial, revisionism and rejectionism.

Finally, I would like to express my warm thanks to the Embassy of Israel for its responsiveness and contribution to the completion of the whole process, and especially to the Ambassador Oren Anolik for his sincere will to further strengthen bilateral relations between Cyprus and Israel.

On the occasion of the signing of this Cooperation Programme, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth considers the continuous strengthening of our relations with the State of Israel to be of the utmost importance. It is my sincere hope that the Cooperation Programme we are signing today will contribute further to the inextricable connection between our two countries.

 ΙP