Wednesday, May 10th
Our first activity of the day was a visit to the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute in Larnaca. This company is a non-profit which aims to drive sustainable blue growth and uses the needs of industry and society to do so. They were established in 2019 and are supported by government funding that extends through 2026. Through research they hope to make a sustainable blue economy that is carbon neutral, protect marine ecosystems, and connect society to the sea. They have many programs that focus on educating children and adults about the importance of the sea and how they can do their part in protecting it.
Since CMMI is a non-profit organization, they are not directly part of any major supply chains, but they do handle the repercussions of the local supply chains. Since Cyprus is a major contributor to the maritime market due to its location in the Mediterranean, CMMI works to make the shipping industry more sustainable and less harmful to the sea. They have many different projects that each focus on a different aspect in the field. For example, one project is working towards developing ways for ships to use carbon as a source of fuel and another is working on developing fully autonomous monitoring devices so they can track the state of marine life in the area. I feel as though the United States is also working to fight some of the same battles as Cyprus in the transportation industry, but Cyprus is definitely more focused on the maritime aspect of sustainability. Their emphasis on public education seems a bit new to me as well. The U.S. seems to struggle when it comes to educating the public about sustainability and environmental issues which I believe is part of our struggle to make improvements in that area.
After our visit at CMMI, we walked to the Church of Saint Lazarus which was built so that the altar sat directly atop of the tomb of Lazarus. On this visit, we learned about the story of Lazarus who was said to be a great friend of Jesus. Four days after Lazarus died of illness, Jesus visited him, and the bible says Jesus raised him from the dead. Eventually, Lazarus died of old age and the church was built in his honor directly above his final resting place. The inside of the church is very ornate and is adorned with many paintings which have gold coverings to protect them from damage.
After leaving the first church, we drove to visit another which is rare and well known because of its unique mural. Many old churches and mosques were destroyed by the Ottomans and so very few of the original murals remain intact. This church in particular was very special because its mural of Mary was completely unharmed and was made up of pieces of glass that were around 4 millimeters on either side. Being from the 6th century, this is an incredibly small size, especially considering the technology of the times.
We got to spend a few hours in the evening in the old town of Lefkara. This town is up in the foothills and is known for its handmade silver and lace goods. All of the shops in the town are supplied by the owner’s own handiwork and as we walked around, we could watch many locals embroider tablecloths by hand or make silver jewelry. It was an incredibly interesting experience because the town itself was gorgeous and all the locals were so interesting to talk to. They were so excited to talk about the work they did and the history of the area. One bakery owner was known for her cookies which were decorated in the same pattern as the classic lace that the town is famous for.
