May 20 was selected as World Beekeeping Day as it coincides with the birthday of Anton Janša, who in the 18th century pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in his home country Slovenia and praised the bees for their ability to work so hard, while needing so little attention.
For centuries bees, busy as they are known to be, have benefited people, plants and the planet. But did you know that bees are not the only ones that sustain life on earth? By carrying pollen from one flower to another, bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators facilitate and improve food production, thus contributing to food security and nutrition. Pollination also has a positive impact on the environment in general, helping to maintain biodiversity and the vibrant ecosystems upon which agriculture depends.
In Cyprus the World Beekeeping Day will be celebrated in the picturesque village of Ora on May 19th during the Bee Festival featuring a seminar for the protection of bees, a rich artistic program, gastronomy using honey, a market with fresh honey and honey products, cosmetics and handicrafts.
Ora is a village in the LarnaKa Mountains a few kilometers after the villages of Lagiea and Vavla.
The whole event will take place under the auspices of Environment Commissioner, Mrs Ioanna Panayiotou.
Bee Festival is part of the Honey Routes in the Larnaka Mountains, created under MEDFEST European Program.
The importance of celebrating World Bee Day
Observing World Bee Day on 20 May each year will draw attention to the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy. It provides an opportunity for governments, organizations, civil society and concerned citizens everywhere to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping.
The date for this observance was chosen as it was the day Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture, was born. Janša came from a family of beekeepers in Slovenia, where beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long-standing tradition.
The proposal set forth by the Republic of Slovenia, with the support of Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations and FAO, to celebrate World Bee Day on 20 May each year met with approval by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017.
World Bee Day intends to shine a light on the habitat of pollinators to improve the conditions for their survival so that bees and other pollinators may thrive.
Sunday, May 19, 2019, 11:00 - 20:00
