What is the Cyclamen Project
The Cyclamen Project falls within the LIFE Capacity Building Programme and will run for 48 months starting 15/12/2015. The coordinator and sole beneficiary of the project is the Department of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of Cyprus. The project will be coordinated by Marilena Papastavrou, who is the National Contact Point (NCP) for the LIFE Programme.
The Cyclamen Project aims to enhance the effectiveness of the support services and assistance provided to potential LIFE Programme applicants from Cyprus. The reason for this is to improve Cyprus’ performance in terms of both numbers and quality of proposals.
This however, requires that the Cypriot LIFE NCP increases its sustainability and strengthens the capacity of its resources. And this will be achieved through the Project Cyclamen in a two-fold manner:
- on the one hand by refining and improving its current skills and dexterities,
- and on the other by developing new competencies and utilising new means and approaches.
These interventions will expand the national capacity to submit successful applications for funding for projects under the sub-programmes of Environment and Climate Action, thus ensuring value added of Cypriot LIFE projects both to Cyprus and the EU.
In order to meet the Project’s needs, a group of 4 dedicated experts has been established:
- Nature/ Biodiversity Expert
- Resource Efficiency Expert
- Climate Change Expert
- Communication Expert
The Cyclamen team provides LIFE applicants and beneficiaries with guidance (during the preparation and submission of proposals) and counselling during a project’s lifetime, but also helps applicants exploit any opportunities arising from projects’ results. The project entails trainings, workshops, seminars and meetings for the purpose of acquiring skills and dexterities that will be sustained well beyond the project’s lifetime. The project will assist in the creation of partnerships, enhance the collaboration among authorities and stakeholders and promote the cooperation in international project proposals, as well as the involvement of the private sector in co-financing of projects.