We started our day at Vassos Eliades Ltd, or VEL. VEL is a trading company that operates a distribution network around the country of Cyprus. The company began when Vassos K. Eliades became the exclusive distributor of Nestle products within Cyprus. As VEL have grown they have added more companies to their profile and now serve over 5,300 clients across the island. I have so much admiration for this company and what they are doing. Not only do they provide international goods to Cypriots, but they are committed to environmentally friendly practices and promote a good work/life balance. They have implemented a plethora of unique green initiative across the company to work towards net zero carbon emissions. These initiatives include a geothermal warehouse, solar tube lighting systems, Nespresso pod recycling, solar panels, and more. VEL is well on their way to net zero emissions with their warehouse in Nicosia producing 109% of their need energy using environmentally friendly practices. I really enjoyed our time at VEL. All of the staff we met were extremely kind and the office was very welcoming. Overall, our visit to VEL was a lesson in the legacy you can leave if you commit yourself to your community and your environment.
After an amazing lunch we headed to UNIC for lectures in Cypriot history and the Greek language. The history lecture was given by Dr Solomou and was phenomenal. Cypriot history dates back to the first settlement in 7,400 BC so there is a lot to cover. Over the course of 90 minutes Dr Solomou was able to walk us through the entire history of Cyprus with intriguing details and modern connections. The primary difference I noticed between lectures at Pitt and the lecture given by Dr Solomou was that Pitt professors use their slides as a crutch while Dr Solomou used them as an accessory. His slides had few words and many pictures that were used to support his lecture. The style felt more conversational because his words weren’t on the slides so he could stray from the plan and speak more naturally. However, at Pitt a lot of my professors write what they are saying word-for-word on their slideshows. This can create a more structured lecture but also removes some of the conversationality. I will admit that this distinction might also be due to the fact that my Pitt lectures are primarily STEM based while Dr Solomou gave a lecture based in the humanities. Despite the unfamiliar lecture style, I learned a lot from Dr Solomou. Three of my favorite topics he discussed related to why Cyprus was conquered by so many different empires. Firstly, the island is known as the ‘unsinkable aircraft carrier’ due to the military bases used by forces from the US and UK. These bases were used as a take-off location for the Air Force during the Iraqi and Afghanistan Wars. Secondly, Cyprus was desirable as a result of its location. Its position in the Eastern Mediterranean meant that whatever empire ruled the mainland countries surrounding the region also sought control of Cyprus. It is because of this pattern that the Venetians were able to predict an Ottoman attack and fortify the island. Lastly, between 1191 and 1192 Cyprus had three different rulers: Richard the Lion Heart, Knights of the Temple, and the Frankish Empire. The turnover during this year happened at an accelerated rate due to the inability of England based groups to maintain control. This lack of control resulted in the repeated selling of the island. After Dr Solomou’s lecture we had a brief Greek Lesson before heading back to the hotel for an evening of exploration around Nicosia.