The Akamas Municipality hosted a successful award ceremony on Friday to mark the designation of Coral Bay as a “Plastic Free Beach” under the Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free initiative. Coral Bay becomes the ninth beach in Cyprus to join the network and the first within the Akamas Municipality.

According to the announcement, the event represented a significant milestone in the national effort to tackle plastic pollution. It brought together representatives of local authorities, tourism stakeholders, students, and members of the local community. The presence of the TUI Care Foundation’s Board of Directors and senior staff gave the event international visibility.

Thomas Ellerbeck, Chair of the TUI Care Foundation Board, stated that the Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free initiative serves as a global model, recognized for its effective actions in reducing plastic pollution. “Through this project,” he said, “Cyprus is leading efforts for a more sustainable tourism model in the Mediterranean, proving that tourism can be a positive force for the environment.”

Akamas Mayor Marinos Lambrou described the adoption of the municipality’s first Plastic Free Beach as a significant moment for the region. In cooperation with the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI) and the TUI Care Foundation, he noted, “we are turning our commitment to a cleaner and more sustainable environment into action—protecting our coasts and inspiring future generations to adopt more responsible lifestyles.”

Philippos Drousiotis, President of CSTI, emphasized that the project is a living example of the power of collaboration. “We are proud to work with the Akamas Municipality, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Department of Environment, the Commissioner for the Environment, the Paphos Regional Board of Tourism (ETAP), PASYXE, STEK, PASYDEXE, students who are tomorrow’s leaders, and many others,” he added.

He also noted the importance of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stating, “Through our partnership, we are contributing to all 17 Goals. United by shared purpose and values, we can achieve lasting positive impact.”

At Coral Bay, several features have been introduced to help visitors avoid single-use plastics: a water cooler offering free filtered and chilled water, a designated smoking area, a collection point for plastic toys, informative signage, and other visitor-friendly infrastructure.

Additionally, an art installation titled Rethink Your Plastic Footprint—made entirely from plastic waste—was installed at the beach, sending a powerful message about the need to redefine our relationship with plastic.

The ninth Plastic Free Beach was made possible with the support of the Cyprus Environment Foundation, funded by the Conservation Collective through a partnership with Depeche Mode and Hublot during the Memento Mori world tour, the announcement concluded.