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Dean Barry Bloom, Dean John Lichten, Distinguished Faculties, Dear Students, Distinguished guests
It is really, a great honour for me to be here today, to address such a distinguished audience on the occasion of the conclusion of our efforts. Efforts which date back in March 2003, when we started to discuss the possibility of establishing an International Initiative for the Environment and Public Health between the Republic of Cyprus and Harvard School of Public Health. This international initiative becomes today a reality with many promising prospects.
The importance Cyprus places on this initiative, is substantiated by the presence of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, who is here with us to sign the agreement.
Without the wholehearted personal support and faith of President Papadopoulos in the success of this initiative, we might have not reached an agreement, in such a short period of time. For this reason I would like to thank His Excellency the President.
I also like to thank, all those here in Boston and in Cyprus, who have supported and contributed to the promotion of this cooperation. The confidence, which the Harvard Authorities have extended to the Republic of Cyprus, is of particular honour to us. I want to assure you that we will honour the agreement and we will do our utmost to make this international initiative a success.
The 21st century economies, will be economies based on knowledge and on continuous changes. The information technology, and not only, has imposed a different and a particularly high pace in the transfer of knowledge and data and also in the process of decision-making.
The changes and the reforms, in all the sectors of life have been accelerated. The lifetime of an innovation or an invention has been reduced. Today, the success is not supported anymore only by the possession of knowledge. The capability of fast adaptability is needed as well.
All these important changes that influence the social, political and economic environment, are mainly the result of the speed at which new knowledge is produced. This knowledge is produced or created through research. It is produced at the universities and other high level educational institutions, which are not constrained in the transfer of knowledge, but on the contrary, are facing knowledge as a variable on which they apply further research.
Reform and modernisation are not static phenomena, which are achieved once and for all. They are, and must be faced, as continuous processes. Only then, they can lead to the desirable result.
Research, basic and applied, creates the environment for development and progress. Both types of research are of utmost importance; No one type can be evaluated as more useful than the other.
It is accepted that RESEARCH, and the importance that is attributed to it, is what positively differentiates the societies that are considered to be advanced.
Enterprises throughout the world, have realised the need, as well as the value of the acquisition and exploitation of new knowledge.
This recognition of the productive value of knowledge has turned the educational institutions from being solely part of the cultural process, into centres for the production of wealth. In the United States, this reality has been acknowledged long time ago.
The European Union, recognizing the importance of research, has placed as a minimum target the investment of 3% of GDP in research activities. To meet this European objective, the Government of Cyprus has set as a goal for the next few years, the spending of 1% of its GDP in research.
To this effect, the Government prepared a comprehensive strategy, that will create the environment and the infrastructure for the attraction of investments in research.
It is within this framework that we place the collaboration of Cyprus Republic with Harvard University. I am certain that this initiative will hold mutual benefits for both Harvard University and Cyprus. There will also be benefits for Cyprus' neighboring countries since the environment does not have borderlines and the solutions in the pollution of the environment must have at least regional if not global application.
The same applies for the field of Public Health, as the results and the benefits that will arise from the research in this sector will be shared with all other countries, for the benefit of mankind.
Harvard University, an institution that is synonymous to the pursuance of excellence and the enrichment of knowledge, can use Cyprus and its geostrategic location for more international initiatives, in other scientific areas where the University excels in. The initiative we are signing today is only the beginning. Its successful implementation will, hopefully, lead to many more.
Today’s initiative is of great importance to Cyprus. It is a big step towards Its transformation into a regional research centre.
Once again, allow me to thank you Dean Bloom and all distinguished Faculties involved, for your commitment to the project and your belief in Cyprus and Its vision. |
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