Cyprus assumes the presidency of the European Schools (ES) for the first time in the school year 2024-2025 (1 August 2024 – 31 July 2025), in the context of the Presidency trio, from August 2023 to July 2026, with Italy (2023 -2024) to precede the Cyprus Presidency and Latvia to follow (2025-2026).
The Reception Ceremony of the Presidency of the European Schools (ES) from Cyprus, in the presence of the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Athena Michailidou, took place today, Friday, at the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia.
According to an announcement by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the European Schools, as well as the national delegations of the presiding country and the countries participating in the trio of presidencies, participated in the Ceremony, as provided for in the protocol. Italy and Latvia.
The ceremony was opened by the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Athina Michailidou, who congratulated the Italian delegation on the success of the Italian presidency, with special reference to the first forum of teachers of the European Schools, a pioneering initiative undertaken by the Italian Presidency and which will continue during the Cypriot Presidency, with the realization of the second forum in April 2025, within the framework of the Supreme Council of European Schools which will be hosted in Cyprus.
The Minister underlined the uniqueness of the European Schools as an integral part of the wider European project, while also emphasizing the multilingual and multicultural education with a European dimension that they offer, which leads to the acquisition of the European Baccalaureate.
As part of the ceremony, the logo of the Cyprus Presidency of the European Schools was also presented.
As explained by the Head of the Cypriot Delegation, Dr. Ioannis Savvidis, the logo is inspired by the statue of Pomos, which is an indication of the rich cultural heritage of Cyprus.
The logo has bronze as its main color, referring to the Chalcolithic era, to which the figurine belongs, combined with the blue of the Mediterranean.
The expression "Draxasthe Paideias", a symbol of the Greek Enlightenment, which accompanies the logo, is inextricably linked to the history of education in our country, since it adorned the entrance of the Pedagogical Academy, which for many years trained primary education teachers in Cyprus.
Its meaning incorporates basic principles and values that have always been the cornerstone of education, the acquisition of which requires an active and conscious effort, as it is given through the meaning of the word "Draxasthe".
As he mentioned, these principles are also the core of the HE system: on the one hand, the emphasis on the holistic development of the individual, on the cultivation of critical thinking, creativity and values, and on the other hand, the active participation of students in the learning process, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the common European identity through education, the development of multilingualism and the promotion of values such as respect for diversity, intercultural understanding and active European citizenship.
According to the announcement, during the ceremony the priorities of the outgoing Italian Presidency were reviewed, as well as the experiences and lessons learned and the priorities of the Cypriot Presidency were presented.
Cyprus' pedagogical priorities for the Presidency of the European Schools focus on the concept of the collective well-being of students and teachers in a sustainable environment and the importance of education as a means of achieving sustainable development more broadly.
In addition to the pedagogical priorities, the Cypriot Presidency also set the goal of further strengthening the governance of the European Schools system in order to better achieve its goals.
