Thalassa festival returns to Limassol on October 10 to showcase shipping and the Blue Economy

Limassol, Cyprus. The annual Thalassa festival will return on Saturday, October 10, bringing together more than 30 public and private bodies to promote Cyprus’ maritime sector and opportunities in the Blue Economy, organisers said on Friday.

Festival opening

The festival will take place at the Seafront Multifunctional Park on Limassol’s Molos. It will open at 9am, with President Nikos Christodoulides scheduled to officially open the event at 10am.

The opening ceremony will feature a passage of vessels from the National Guard Naval Command, the Port and Marine Police, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, the Cyprus Ports Authority, P&O Maritime and VTS Vasiliko Terminal Services.

Connecting the public with the sea

Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis said the festival had become an established event for Limassol and Cyprus after four successful editions, attracting large numbers of visitors.

She said the festival’s slogan, “Experience the sea, discover shipping”, reflected its aim of bringing the public closer to the sea and highlighting the importance of shipping and the Blue Economy to Cyprus’ development and prosperity.

Hadjimanolis said the event would help citizens, particularly young people, discover the sea not only as a source of recreation and sport but also as a field of knowledge, studies and professional opportunities.

Although Cyprus has one of the largest merchant fleets in Europe and globally, she said, the wider public did not always have a full picture of the opportunities available in the maritime and shipping sectors.

“Through the festival, we seek to bridge this gap and present the world of the sea in a direct, interactive and experiential way,” she said.

Focus on young people and maritime careers

More than 30 public and private bodies, organisations, services and academic institutions active in shipping and maritime affairs will participate in this year’s festival.

Organisers will place particular emphasis on young people, aiming to introduce them to a modern and dynamic part of the economy and show that shipping extends beyond vessels to encompass a wide range of professions and scientific disciplines.