About Multiplier event
The event was part of the European Researcher’s Night, open to schools during the first half of the day and the general public for the second half. It was promoted in local press, radio and social media, either by the organizers or the media team of The Cyprus Institute. The general structure of the day is presented below:
A number of target groups was reached during the event, including students and teachers of the public school system from across Cyprus, research and innovation institutions, universities and higher education institutes, public governance and citizens from various fields of expertise.
Given the type audiences for the morning and afternoon sessions, the main activity from 9am to 1pm was the re-imagination of Strovolos Avenue. In this activity, photos and experiences from one of the main avenues of the urban area studied during the Local Workshops were used to explain to participants why that particular area was problematic. Photos of additional trees and greenery were printed on tracing paper and overlaid the existing avenue, and we had a discussion with them about what kind of possible effects it would have, if this main avenue was regenerated to accommodate pedestrians and non-vehicular mobility, drawing from the results of R1. After that, they were provided with materials (photo with transparent slide and markers) and asked to reimagine the avenue, drawing what they would like to see and what would enable them to use that part of the city that is mostly used by car traffic.
Members of the Municipality of Strovolos were also present and this interactive activity reached dozens of schools and hundreds of students.
Results
By the end of the morning school visits, a large collection of visual depictions of a reclaimed avenue were displayed on the walls of the booth. In the afternoon, a webinar was held and discussed the main results of the Local Workshops for Cyprus, as well as those of the University of Camerino, by sharing a recorded presentation the partner institution had sent prior to the event. Moreover, the visually regenerated Strovolos Avenue was displayed and participants were engaged in discussions on the role of co-participatory activities involving citizens and other stakeholders.
Side activities included outdoor walks and photo taking with the thermal camera, showing the impact of greenery on urban material, and dissemination of previous results of the Local Workshops, including student work, e-learning videos and web tutorials prepared for R2 and R3. The project results reached hundreds of students from the public school system, as well as their teachers, from various districts of Cyprus, including Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Ammochostos. Moreover, in addition to members of the municipality and the general public, the event was attended by researchers from other institutions, teachers, professors, private business owners and the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy. The event was overall well attended and received numerous positive remarks from students, fellow researchers and the general public.
The multiplier event for Cyprus was a success, with the participation of students, academics and the public, who got to t in interactive activities and discussions that stimulated visitors to discuss and exchange experiences with us. Having a non-formal, conversational style and a relatable example of a highly popular and frequently used urban area made this even more intriguing, since participants were able to share their personal encounters and wishes for their cities. The importance of trees and greenery was the main feature of the CliCCHE booth, doing justice to the title of the multiplier event.
Dissemination of the event
- The Cyprus Institute’s Linked in page
- The Cyprus Institute’s Facebook page
- Mission: CONNECT – CyI’s Impactful Presence at Researchers’ Night 2023
- Highlights from “I never thought trees were so important to the city”
- Coverage from the ERN23, including the CliCCHE multiplier event
