Festival to restore nature, reconnect with environment
A brand-new festival launches this week and aims to revive the nature of Arakapas village by bringing people closer to the environment. The first edition of the Back to the Roots Festival will take place this Saturday, and seeks to restore the local environment after the destruction of the 2021 fires. A whole day of tree-planting, nature and cinema, art and sustainable workshops is coming up.
A rich agenda is planned to entertain locals, visitors, experts and participants from 10am to 11pm. Through activities for young ones, adults, ecologists, environmentalists and the general public, the festival hopes to create lasting positive impacts on the environment and cultivate a sense of shared responsibility.
For one day only, Arakapas will transform into a vibrant hub, offering the opportunity for islanders to spend a fun day in nature while learning about the environment. Some of the festival’s highlights include tree-planting activities to help restore the areas affected by the fires, workshops on sustainable practices and reforestation techniques by environmental experts, interactive lectures on biodiversity and more.
An open-air cinema will also be set up featuring films that focus on critical environmental issues. What’s more, to celebrate the connection between people and the earth, art installations will be set up around the village to highlight the importance of preserving the natural environment.
“In addition to these festival highlights,” say organisers, “a unique corporate reforestation project will take place on an experimental plot of land allocated by the Arakapas municipality, supported by the forestry department. Specialists from Andrey and Julia Dashin Foundation, biologists, ecologists and reforestation experts will guide participants as they plant trees to restore the area’s biodiversity. This project will include the use of the innovative Groasis Waterboxx technology from the Netherlands, designed to increase the survival rate of saplings in arid climates.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without food, drinks and games for the whole community to enjoy. Throughout the day, there will be plenty to explore for visitors of all ages, always with the aim to reconnect and protect the natural environment.
“The Back to the Roots Festival is more than just an event,” conclude organisers, “it’s a movement aimed at healing the land, restoring biodiversity and strengthening our relationship with nature. By joining, participants will help transform Arakapas, nurture the environment, and be part of an ongoing effort to regenerate Cyprus’ natural beauty.”
Back to the Roots Festival
1st edition of festival with workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, tree-planting and other environmental activities. November 2. Arakapas village, Limassol district. Free. https://back2theroots.ecombare.com/