President Statement
2014 was a year of intensive developments for Future Worlds Center. Having another year of transformation, expansion and success, Future Worlds Center consolidated its activities on national, European and international levels and successfully implemented numerous projects in collaboration with its growing network of partners, striving towards the Future Worlds Center Vision to “operate at the interface of science & society” by using technology to promote social justice, development and peace. Four new contracts with value of over 1,4 million euro was the total operational cost.
The New Media Lab had some major successes. It secured two new contracts in Cyber Crime: The Cyprus Cyber Crime Center of Excellence for Training, Research and Education with partners the OCECPR - Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation, the European University Cyprus, ADITESS and the Office for Combating Cybercrime (OCC), and the Engaging Users in Preventing and Fighting Cyber Crime - UINFC2 led by the Center for Security Studies (KEMEA) in Greece and including the University of Piraeus, ADITESS, Mezza Group, and CENTRIC. The fact that Future Worlds Center won 2 out of a very small pan-European Cyber Crime grants is a sign of excellence. The participation of OCECPR is notable, as well as the engagement of EUROPOL, many policy and Hotlines' representatives in the The Requirements Workshop. The New Media Lab has also won SENIOR-TV, an Ambient Assisted Living project with a score of 5 out of 5, an exceptionally rare circumstance. Finally, it continues its island-wide safer Internet campaign, CyberEthics, engaging schools, media and all local authorities. During 2014, many governmental agencies have been engaged in the process of establishing a more permanent facility for the campaign.
The Futures Design Unit has organzied the first activity of NETS and has also launched negotiations with the United Nations Democracy Fund for a Reinventing Democracy in the Digital Era global project.
We continued to provide services to asylum seekers and refuges through Strengthening Asylum for Refugees And Asylum Seekers in Cyprus and operated the Unit for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture. However, the Humanitarian Affairs Unit has grown significantly, implementing additional projects, including Improvement of the Situation of Asylum Seekers in Cyprus and Unit for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (URVT) V.
The Development Education Unit has closed theCivil Society Acts Beyond Borders and launched new projects: Youth of the world!; The World From Our Doorstep.
I invite you to read our Annual Report and come back to us with suggestions and ideas. This short introduction could not cover all our projects, which are described in more detail in the following pages. We are proud to have you as a friend and affiliate and we look forward to strengthening our relations, communication and collaboration within our network and with new partners.