The delegation included the members of the municipal council, representatives of the Ministry of Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism of Cyprus, Water Board of Limassol, Cyprus University of Technology.
The delegation included the members of the municipal council, representatives of the Ministry of Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism of Cyprus, Water Board of Limassol, Cyprus University of Technology.
On May 11, St. Petersburg State University of Economics (UNECON) hosted the "round table" on the project "Universities' ideas into Cities' practice". (The project is being implemented between the cities since 2013).
During the "round table», participants presented current developments and discussed possible cooperation prospects between St. Petersburg and Limassol. The use of the research and development results of St. Petersburg universities took the center stage, including sphere of new technologies in urban economy, tourism development, the use of remote technologies in education and science.
On the part of Saint Petersburg the "round table" was attended by representatives of scientific and academic sphere of the city, higher and secondary educational institutions and executive authorities of St. Petersburg, as follows:
- ITMO University,
- St. Petersburg State Technological Institute (technical university),
- Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation,
- the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia,
- The Bonch-Bruevich Saint - Petersburg State University of Telecommunications,
- The Central Research and Experimental Design Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics),
- The Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg,
- The Committee for Science and Higher Education,
- The Committee for Tourism Development of St. Petersburg,
- The Housing Committee,
- The Committee on IT and Communications,
- The Education Committee of St. Petersburg,
- The Committee for Energy and Engineering Support.
The proposals of education and research organizations aroused the greatest interest among the participants, these ideas are related to new approaches to solution of energy saving problems in the housing sector of the city, use of "smart" systems for monitoring housing and communal services, use of mobile technologies for production and new kinds of building materials, implementation of new technologies for recycling of municipal solid waste, development of "sustainable" tourism and environmental protection, event tourism.
On May 11, the museum center of "The Russian museum: The virtual branch" Project hosted the session devoted to the project of creating St. Petersburg Center on the basis of Cyprus University of Technology. Cyprus University of Technology is ready to provide premises for this purpose. During the discussion the parties expressed their willingness to cooperate and agreed that it is possible to use the resources of St. Petersburg universities for the creation of the center.
On May 12, meetings of the "round table" were held in SUE "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg" and ITMO University. In ITMO University the parties discussed a list of documents that should be signed by the Russian and Cyprian side to secure the agreements reached within the framework of the "round table" and to enhance further development of the "Clean Cyprus" project.
In addition to the discussion of energy matters, they discussed the issues of international cooperation between ITMO University and Cyprus University of Technology. The parties reached the agreements on cooperation between State Unitary Enterprise "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg" and Water Board of Limassol and Sewerage Board of Limassol-Amathus (SBIA) in the sphere of water supply, sanitation, water purification and the creation of the Museum of water.
On May 12, in Smolny there was a meeting between the Mayor of Limassol A. Christou and the Chairman of the Committee for Tourism Development of St. Petersburg V.E. Kononov. During the discussion the sides agreed to sign a "road map" in the sphere of tourism.
The mayor of Limassol A. Christou also met with the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg I.O. Lonsky. During the meeting the sides discussed cooperation prospects in 2016 taking into account the planned visit of the official delegation of St. Petersburg to Limassol.
On the same day, the Mayor of Limassol A. Christou visited the Governor of St. Petersburg Georgy Poltavchenko. The meeting was attended by the Vice Governor O.A. Markov and heads of St. Petersburg profile Committees. The sides expressed their mutual interest in expanding cooperation of the partner cities in the sphere of tourism, cultural and educational exchanges, development of "Universities' ideas into Cities' practice" Project. Agreements have been reached on the signing of the action plan between the Government of St. Petersburg and the Municipality of Limassol for 2017–2020 during the forthcoming official visit of St. Petersburg delegation to Limassol as well as co-operative activities in the framework of the fifth anniversary of the partnership in 2017.
Additional information: 576-78-44 – Natalia Vladimirovna Strugova, chief specialist of the Central and Southern Europe, the USA, Canada and Israel International Cooperation Office