"The path of learning is not easy; it requires hard work, discipline, and consistency," Archbishop George of Cyprus states in a message marking the start of the school year. “In your efforts, it is natural to encounter setbacks. Do not be afraid of them, and do not become discouraged. Even failures can become life lessons,” he notes, addressing the students.
“The turn of the year has once again brought us to the start of the new school year. Along with the wishes you are exchanging with one another these days, I too join my own wishes, that the long period that begins today may be be blessed by God and that the efforts you undertake may bear fruit,” the Archbishop notes.
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He adds that “every new beginning is accompanied by a renewal of hope and a willingness to redouble our efforts to improve our performance. The Church blesses this effort and declares its willingness to come to the aid of each of you, whenever you ask.”
It also states, among other things, that “in order to achieve the desired result and fulfill the many expectations we all place on our education, there must be cooperation between the teachers, who will impart knowledge and instill values, and the students.”
“That is why, as the Church, we bless today teachers and students, those who teach and those who are taught, and we invoke God’s blessing for success in their necessary collaboration,” he adds.
“In your efforts, it is natural to encounter failures. Do not fear them, and do not be discouraged. Failures, too, can become life lessons. What matters is not that we never fall, but that we have the strength to get back up and keep going,” he notes.
At the same time, the Archbishop points out that “we live in an age of remarkable possibilities. With a cell phone or a computer, we can, in a matter of seconds, gain access to a vast amount of information. Technology can be a valuable ally in education and communication. However, it often leads to a neglect of the development of critical thinking, which is essential for gaining meaningful knowledge.”
Furthermore, he adds, with the recent advent of Artificial Intelligence, we face the danger of confusing falsehood with truth and failing to distinguish pretense from authenticity.
He points out that “all of this makes the educational role of the school more necessary than ever and increases the responsibility of teachers. Education is called upon to focus its attention and efforts on the balanced development of the body and the mind; to guide students toward understanding that the goal of technology is what it ought to do, not what it is capable of doing. To teach that ethics—the imposition of certain limits on development—is a shield for life, not a hindrance to it.”
“Today, history entrusts you with the responsibility of liberating Cyprus from the Turkish occupier. To achieve this, you must first realize who we are—that we come from far back in history and that we must continue our journey even further into the future. By fortifying you will soon be able—when you take the fate of this land into your own hands—to create the conditions for its liberation and defend it against any threat,” he adds.
