On May 4 through 6, 2011, the Days of St.Petersburg were run in Limassol (Cyprus), organized by the Committee for External Relations and the Committee for Culture of St.Petersburg with the support of the Cyprus Government and the Municipality of Limassol.
On May 4 through 6, 2011, the Days of St.Petersburg were run in Limassol (Cyprus), organized by the Committee for External Relations and the Committee for Culture of St.Petersburg with the support of the Cyprus Government and the Municipality of Limassol.
St.Petersburg was represented by a delegation comprising representatives of sectoral committees at the Administration of the city, St.Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, cultural, scientific and educational institutions, members of the Legislative Assembly of St.Petersburg, representatives of business circles. The delegation was headed by E.V.Batanov, Chairman of St.Petersburg Committee for Finances. Antonis Sammoutis, Consul General of Cyprus in St.Petersburg, also participated in the program.
At opening the program, Andreas Christou, Mayor of Limassol, who warmly welcomed the delegation, stressed that the ongoing activities and meetings would promote partnerships between Limassol and St.Petersburg and the development of friendly relations between Russia and Cyprus in general. E.V.Batanov, Chairman of the Finance Committee, conveyed the greetings of St.Petersburg Governor V.I.Matvienko, also mentioning the interest of St.Petersburg to further expand economic and trade relations, investment cooperation, exchange of technologies and the best practices relevant, comprehensive development of humanitarian contacts with Cyprus and Limassol. I.S.Rimmer, Member of the Legislative Assembly of St.Petersburg, figuratively said in his speech that the historically shaped spiritual connection of peoples of Russia and Cyprus could “plant a whole forest of relationships”, given the existing investment opportunities, tourism, and cultural cooperation.
On May 4, a “round table” on developing the cooperation in economy and tourism, chaired by A.Solomonidis, President of Limassol Chamber of Commerce, brought together over 70 representatives of the Cypriot companies operating in the field of construction, provision of real estate development, tourism, and other services, as well as representatives of Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Cyprus Tourism Organization.
During this first roundtable, an agreement was signed on cooperation between St.Petersburg and Limassol chambers of commerce, presentations on economic and tourism opportunities of the two cities, on St.Petersburg and Cypriot companies, and on projects “Limassol Marina” and “Marine Facade”. The opinions on prospects for cooperation were exchanged. R.V.Vavilov, Director of Russian Center for Science and Culture in Cyprus, noted in his speech the importance of events organized by St.Petersburg in Limassol, to further strengthen the friendly ties between Russia and Cyprus. Chairman of Cyprus–Russia Friendship Society expressed interest in establishing contacts with similar associations in St.Petersburg on the eve of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the society, to be celebrated in November 2011.
On May 5, a round table on cooperation in culture, science, and education was held, with the participation of senior representatives of the Ministry of Education of Cyprus, during which the presentations of St.Petersburg and Limassol, of the project “Information and Education Centre of the Russian Museum: a Virtual Affiliation”, of St.Petersburg State Technological University, and of the Technological University of Cyprus were offered: the sides exchanged views on opportunities for cooperation in the field of higher and secondary education, including those in the framework of European and international programs of distant education, and usage of information technology in order to preserve cultural heritage, exchange of teaching methods, and teaching of Russian and Greek languages, exchange of students and experts, organization of recreation for children.
Besides, during the visit the delegation members visited the sea port of Limassol, examined the project “Limassol Marina”; held talks with the pharmaceutical companies “REMEDICA” and “MEDOCHEMIE” about the opportunities to participate in the pharmaceutical cluster created St.Petersburg, and visited the Technological University of Limassol. It was decided to sign an agreement on cooperation between the University of Technology in Limassol and St.Petersburg State Technological University soon.
A.A.Bashkirev and I.S.Rimmer, members of the delegation – representatives of the Legislative Assembly of St.Petersburg, met with their counterparts from the City Council of Limassol and the Chamber of Representatives of Cyprus.
Days of St.Petersburg in Limassol included an exhibition of St.Petersburg artists “History and Culture of St.Petersburg in Graphics” that was opened by Andreas Dimitriou, Minister of Education, Republic of Cyprus; a concert was performed by a string quartet of the Governor’s Orchestra of St.Petersburg and the Grad-Quartet. These events were a great success.
Additionally, the program the following meetings of the delegation of St.Petersburg took place:
• On May 5 - with Antonis Paschalidis, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, Republic of Cyprus;
• On May 6 – with V.D.Shumskiy, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Russian Federation in the Republic of Cyprus and Demetris Christofias, President of the Republic of Cyprus. At the meetings, confirmed were the agreements on cooperation between St.Petersburg, Limassol, and Cyprus, including the signing of a cooperation agreement that had been endorsed by the top-level leaders of the Government of Cyprus.
Days of St.Petersburg in Limassol were widely reported in the media in Cyprus.
News Source: St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations