WINNERS OF HEARTS OF GOLD 2018 AWARDS ANNOUNCED
By Bejay Browne.
Humanity, courage, caring and philanthropy were all awarded at the 2018 Hearts of Gold Cyprus Awards held in Paphos in December.
The winners were announced at a packed ceremony at SEK in the centre of Paphos; there were gifts and sweets for the children and a finger buffet and drinks for nominees and their guests.
Sisters, Eleni Vlotomas, age 14, and Despina Vlotomas, age 11, won the Junior Heart of Gold award, the first time the prize has been given to a duo.
They started an initiative to collect old and used spectacles. They then went to a number of places in Zimbabwe, where people queued for hours, and distributed hundreds of spectacles, money and donated computer tablets. The girls will continue with their endeavours.
Panicos Chrysanthou was awarded the Heart of Gold Cyprus Award to a standing ovation, for the care, kindness and friendship he has shown to hundreds of cancer patients and their families as the driver of the PASYKAF free bus service for cancer patients travelling to other towns to receive treatment.
Panicos, who has been nominated a number of times before but never won, said that he was ‘delighted’ to have been chosen.
Ashleigh Phillips,18, won the Jasmitha Award for Courage. She has coped with some personal difficulties and now dedicates her time to helping the dogs at Paws Dog Shelter.
Alan Mack, who had cancer and was in hospital at the time of the ceremony, was represented by his son Ian, and was given the Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement award. He worked tirelessly to raise in excess of €95,000 for Cyprus charities. Sadly, he died in December.
Honorary Mentions went to 9-year-old Antonis Pissarides, a young humanitarian and environmentalist who created his own popular reusable bag which has been on sale in support of the Rhea Foundation to help build a school, and for deprived Maasai children in Tanzania.
The youngest nominee, Zoe Dhull, aged 5, also received an Honorary Mention, she underwent a lifesaving heart operation in Israel when she was a small baby.
Wendy Burdon was recognised with an Honorary Mention for her philanthropy and support of refugees and women facing domestic abuse.
Joy and Martin Collins also received an Honorary Mention for their volunteering and humanity and finally, The Dr. Yiota Demetriou Dancing Queen Foundation, for their efforts to improve children’s psychological health and well-being.
Patron of the awards Charalampous Theopemptou said it was an honour to be involved with the awards, which are unique, and important for Cyprus.
“There is nothing else like this in Cyprus, and it’s a wonderful way to say thank you to you all. I’m honoured to meet you and be among you,” he said.
Entertainment was provided by the Learning Refuge children, the International School of Paphos Junior Choir, and dance ensemble, Romiosini.
All of the nominees received a certificate and a flower presented by the British High Commissioner, Stephen Lillie, British Vice Consul, Christina Smith, and members of the judging panel, including Judith Evans Davies and members of the municipality.
The adult and junior winners were given a hand-crafted solid gold heart on a pin, created by Aphrodite Jewellers in Paphos and a number of other prizes, including a bouquet of flowers and a hamper of handmade treats by Joulietta Chocolatier. The adult winner was also given a weekend break with dinner at Almyra Hotel.
Renowned Cypriot artist Yiota Ioannidou created a Lifetime Achievement award and versions for the Junior, Adult and Jasmitha Awards, which are all supported by DCS-Durable concrete solutions Cyprus. Kivotos Gallery supported the Jasmitha award for Courage.
The Hearts of Gold Cyprus Awards, now in its eleventh year, celebrate philanthropy, humanity, volunteering and caring and recognise both children and adults from all over the island.
www.heartsofgoldcyprus.com and Hearts of Gold Cyprus on Facebook
****
STUNNING REVAMP FOR POPULAR SODAP BEACH
By Bejay Browne.
A young, talented Paphos-based architect has won a closed competition to revamp the facilities at the popular municipality beach known locally as ‘Sodap’ and work will get underway at the site at the end of 2019.
Konstantinos Psomas, 33, of Psomas Studio of Architecture told the Paphos Post that he signed the relevant contracts with the mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos, at the town hall in December.
“A number of architects of Paphos were invited to submit their designs for Vryssoudia beach, known by everyone as Sodap beach, and we only had about three weeks to create our design after receiving the general brief for the project,” Psomas said.
The project will cost half a million euros and will completely change the face of the area which is currently home to a small nondescript cafe. It will be replaced with a stunning, cutting edge, sculpture- like, modern restaurant cafe- bar, complete with a viewing platform and a roof garden offering breathtaking views.
“This building will be a landmark for the area and uses fluid architecture, parametric design and also reflects and connects with the history of Paphos, such as the mosaics,” he said.
Psomas said that this is apparent in the rooftop canopy which is made up of different pieces of a special lightweight fabric that mirror the UNESCO protected mosaics of Kato Paphos.
“The fabric is stretched across structure to form a canopy that will self-illuminate at night.”
He explained that this would be achieved by hidden light sources, but that colours have yet to be decided upon.
The concept inspiring the design is to create an ‘extension’ of the coastal walkway, adapting to the line and also the topography of the beach.
“The building is a sculpture landmark and is making the most of the fantastic 180-degree view which takes in the castle and harbour in the distance, and the sea,” he said.
An eye-catching metal staircase resembles a work of art, and that’s the idea, he said, adding that it leads down to the beach and up to a small viewing platform at the top, to maximize the magnificent view.
The design also includes an interior of around 130m2, an exterior space with a verandah which is almost at beach level, as well as the roof garden, which is around the same level as the coastal walkway. The exterior space totals around 188 m2.
He added that the design was still a concept at the moment, and that it will most probably evolve as the process and project moves along.
The company now has three months to hone the winning design and develop it further. The multiplicity will then call a tender for the construction company to create the building, and a further eight to ten months will then be required to construct the building, Psomas said.
He expects construction, which will take place during the winter months, to get underway at the end of 2019.
“Projects such as these mean a lot to me. I was away from Paphos for 12 years, collecting experience and knowledge and now my hometown and the municipality have given me the chance to share these wonderful and interesting experiences.”
Psomas describes himself as a‘re-generator’ and returned to Paphos a couple of years ago to reinvigorate his father’s architectural business – Psomas studio of Architects (PS-A) which has been operating for almost 30 years.
The young visionary studied architecture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and the Ecole Nationale Superieure Paris-Malaquais in France.
He then moved to London to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture and the world-renowned Design Research Laboratory.
Psomas then joined the prestigious Zaha Hadid Architects where he worked for around four years and was involved in various high-edged design and complex projects of different scales.
“We are working on many projects of all sizes and scales, including, hotels, hotel renovation, high rise buildings, developments and clinics all over Cyprus. I also redesigned our office to modernise it a little,” he said.
Psomas also designed the three new beach kiosks on Geroskipou beach front.
****
PAPHOS TO ESTABLISH CULTURAL FOUNDATION
By Bejay Browne.
A cultural foundation will be established in Paphos to create and promote events in the town, the mayor announced at an event at Palia Ilektriki.
Phedonas Phedonos shared his thoughts and ideas for creating such an establishment to an audience made of representatives from various established cultural associations and members of the public, a spokesman for Paphos municipality told the Paphos Post.
“The idea was already there after our cultural capital title of Pafos2017, the municipal council decided some time ago on this matter, but it has taken some time to prepare all of the necessary things and now the mayor has started the conversation with the public to gauge the first reactions, ideas and suggestions.”
He added that this is in order to be prepared to discuss the matter further with the municipal council to then proceed to establish the foundation.
Phedonos said that the entity will be established and supported by the municipality but that it will act independently.
“This is a unique Pancyprian project, as the foundation will have an independent Board of Directors, its own Artistic Director and staff, and will also be responsible for the management of cultural infrastructures,” he informed the audience.
The foundation will be operated along the same lines as Pafos2017, with its Artistic Director and board of directors nominated by members of the council.
“It will be totally independent though and it is necessary to take this move to ensure that the cultural life of Paphos will continue to go on,” said the spokesman.
The mayor said that the foundation will also be responsible for the production and organisation of a number of various events already taking place in Paphos, such as opera, parades, carnivals and religious celebrations, and will eventually be responsible for organising new events, not excluding the possibility of creating a new theatre.
“The matter will be discussed at the next council meeting and I believe they are keen to establish it as soon as possible,” he said.
The mayor made it clear that many issues have to be clarified through dialogue which is now underway, such as staff issues, how to manage infrastructure and so on.
The spokesman said that, obviously, the board of directors would be Cypriot, but that wider community and other nationalities would be able to get involved by volunteering, as they did with Pafos2017. However, he added that this would be the job of the new artistic director to decide.
A number of follow-up open audiences in support of this initiative, and thoughts and proposals on how to implement it, will take place in the near future.
****
BEST TWELVE MONTHS IN THE HISTORY OF CYPRUS TOURISM
By Bejay Browne.
For the 12-month period from December 2017 to November 2018 total arrivals in Cyprus were over 3.9m.
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) said: “This is the best 12-month history of Cypriot tourism.”
The UK remains the main source of tourism for Cyprus.
Tourist arrivals in Cyprus continued to rise in November according to figures released by Cystat in December, which saw an increase of almost ten per cent compared with the same period in 2017.
“The performance in November marks it as the best November in the history of tourism in Cyprus,” the CTO said.
“This successful performance for this month is to be added to a series of positive results for 2018, since all the months of this year closed with historical records over the same months in previous years.”
Arrivals in November stood at 158,685 compared with 144,676 in November 2017, an increase of 9.7 per cent.
In addition, tourist arrivals for January to November was 3,832,062 compared with 3,553,149 in 2017, an increase of 7.8 per cent.
****
NEWS BITES By Bejay Browne
Award winning singer Tamta, will represent Cyprus at the 64th Eurovision song contest in Tel Aviv in May, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation announced.
“Tamta will be performing the song ‘Replay’ by distinguished composer Alex Papaconstantinou (Alex P). The staging of the entry has been assigned to the internationally acclaimed artistic director and choreographer Sacha Jean-Baptiste.”
Thirty seven year old Tamta Goduadze, was born in Georgia where she grew up. She moved to Greece aged 21 and came second in the Super Idol TV show. She has released a number of albums and singles in Greece and Cyprus, and she was a mentor on both X Factor Georgia in 2014 and The X Factor Greece in 2016.
Cyprus came second in the 2018 Eurovision, the best result in 35 years, and Greek singer Eleni Foureira, who was born in Albania, represented Cyprus with the song Fuego. It was also written by Alex P who has penned this year’s entry.
****
Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa is at number 25 on a list of the world’s top 50 city beaches compiled by Canada’s largest online travel agency Flight Network.
More than 1,200 travel journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies from around the world helped to compile the list, including points such as -where it’s best to mix sun and sand with city thrills.
The criteria included, accessibility, Nissi beach scored nine out of 10, atmosphere and sand and water quality, the beach got full marks. It also got good scores on annual days of sunshine, 266, and average water temperature, 21C.
“Locals and tourists flock to this island paradise for its crystal clear waters, soft white sand and gorgeous views. Walk out far into the shallow turquoise ocean and the water will never go above your waist.Marvel at the Mediterranean flora and fauna, which makes this island a natural haven for many birds,” Flight Network said.
“Finish off the day at one of the many bars or restaurants in the area. In the summer, the island is a hot spot for concert-goers with world-famous DJ parties,” they added.
At the top of the world’s city beaches list is Bondi Beach in New South Wales, Florida’s Miami Beach came in second and Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro third.
For further info : www.flightnetwork.com/worlds-best-beaches/top-50-city-beaches
****
Five coastal companies have been recognised for sustainable practices and addressing marine plastic pollution following a competition which is part of the Zero Waste Beach programme, an initiative of the Project and Research Centre Akti and the Coca-Cola Foundation.
The competition aims to highlight the sustainable practices of coastal businesses to effectively reduce their plastic waste.
The Zero Waste Beach Awards 2018 were handed out by Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis during a ceremony at the Leventis Art Gallery.
Kadis noted the ministry’s support for a total ban on plastic bags after reducing the use of plastic bags at supermarkets and shops, which has led to a reduction of more than 80 per cent.
President of the Board of Akti Xenia Loizidou said that the results of the actions developed under the Zero Waste Beach will form the basis for policy development and the implementation of further targeted actions.
The Sustainability Award was given to the six hotles of Kanika Hotels & Resorts Group: Alexander the Great Beach Hotel (Paphos), Elias Beach Hotel (Limassol), Olympic Lagoon Resorts (Ayia Napa), Olympic Bay (Ayia Napa), Olympic Lagoon Resort (Paphos) and Amavi Hotel (Paphos).
The Atlantica Sungarden Hotel (Ayia Napa) received the Environmental Responsibility Award.
****
Geroskipou municipality has initiated a campaign committee opposing its proposed merger with Paphos municipality as part of the planned local government reforms.
Residents of Geroskipou, which is the second largest municipality in the district of Paphos, met to discuss the move which seeks to reduce the number of municipalities in Cyprus from 30 to 16.
Residents agreed to set up a 10-member committee entrusted with safeguarding the municipality’s autonomy. They don’t believe that Geroskipou’s viability and potential for development should be overshadowed by a merger with a larger municipality.
The council also sent a letter to President Nicos Anastasiades, and political leaders expressing their disagreement with the proposed development.
The mayor of Ayia Napa, Yiannis Karousos, also declared that his municipality’s economic viability and success means that it too should not be merged.
****
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited RAF Akrotiri in December in a of show support for overseas British troops at Christmas.
Prince William and Kate Middleton dropped in on soldiers and their families living at the base, as well as other personnel and members of the local community.
They flew in on a Royal Airforce aircraft and were greeted on the runway by the Commander of British Forces Cyprus, Major-General James Illingworth, British High Commissioner Stephen Lillie, defence attaché of the High Commission, Martyn Forgraves, and RAF Akrotiri station commander, Group Captain Chris Snaith.
The prince gave a speech and casually chatted with some of the military personnel thanking them for their service. The Royals also attended a party, chatted with well- wishers and posed for photos with personnel.
****
The majority of tourists that holidayed in Cyprus between June and September 2018 said they were greatly satisfied with their stay, a survey commissioned by the CTO found.
The survey was carried out at both Larnaca and Paphos airport.
