High Profile visit from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece

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A delegation from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece visited the KIOS Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus, on January 30th, 2023.

The delegation comprised the Minister Mr. Christos Stylianides, the General Secretary of Civil Protection, Mr. Vasilios Papageorgiou, the Chief of Staff of the Corps, Lieutenant General Mr. Christos Lambris, the Head of Cabinet of the Minister, Mr. Philippos Savvides, the Chief Health Office at the Ministry, Mrs. Christina Kravvari, and a representative from the Embassy of Greece in Cyprus. The Rector of the University of Cyprus, Prof. Tasos Christofides, the Commander of Cyprus Civil Defense, Mrs. Maria Papa, the Director of the KIOS CoE, Prof. Marios Polycarpou, and other KIOS Faculty members and researchers also joined the meeting.

During the visit, participants exchanged views on research and innovation topics related to prevention and response to natural disasters or other emergencies. The KIOS Director informed the delegation about the emergency response activities undertaken at the Center, the training programs and field exercises for first responders organized by KIOS, as well as the ongoing collaborations of the Center with the first responders from Cyprus. The Minister, Mr. Stylianides referred to the new structures and mechanisms developed by the Ministry, to address the risks and impacts of climate change. To achieve this, he continued, a collaboration with universities and research centers is needed, so that knowledge and research outcomes can be utilized for preventing and responding efficiently to disasters.

Following the discussion, the guests visited the KIOS’ Laboratory and talked with young researchers about how their research work makes critical infrastructures smarter, more efficient, greener, and more resilient to tackle climate change challenges.

The Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece, Mr. Stylianides, congratulated the KIOS research team for their research achievements, stating that “KIOS is a successful research center for producing new knowledge, that can be used to address challenges of climate crisis”.