ELLAK Cyprus Newsletter
Supported by NGI0
[Προσεχώς στα Ελληνικά]
[for the live version: https://ellak.org.cy/2025/09/03/9-2025-newsletter-floss-cyprus/ ]
Welcome to the first edition of the Official ELLAK Cyprus Newsletter, a monthly snapshot of open technologies, digital rights, and community events on the island. This is a space for sharing updates, reflections, and opportunities. It highlights current areas of community interest, from digital sovereignty and repair culture to open education, public sector innovation, local and European tech policy developments. Each edition aims to inform, connect, and encourage participation, offering a common reference point for those who care about how technology shapes our society and how openness can guide its future.
September 2025 highlights:
Important deadlines (info below):
– Policy Watch: 19 September Deadline for Policy Watch: Government Hybrid Cloud Tender -Policy Watch group 11/9 (see below)
– next EL/LAK Assembly October 3rd, 18:00 (first Friday of the month)
– ASAP: Contact our MEPs to inform them about the dangers of ChatControl.
Upcoming Events
10/9 Policy Watch: Cyprus’ €34M Government Hybrid Cloud Tender will define the country’s digital backbone for the next decade. The risk: vendor lock-in and foreign cloud dependency. The opportunity: an open, auditable system aligned with EU digital sovereignty goals, creating space for local universities & SMEs. https://ellak.org.cy/2025/09/08/policy-watch-government-hybrid-cloud-tender/
Working Group meetup: Wednesday, on
11/9 Thursday – ChatControl Briefing
Description: Technical and policy overview of the EU’s proposed “Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse” (CSAR). Learn why it matters for privacy, encryption, and digital rights in Cyprus. When: 19:00
Where: Online – More info: https://ellak.org.cy/2025/08/29/chatcontrolbriefing/
17/9 Wednesday – NGI0 FLOSS Funding InfoSession [GR]
NGI0 Funding Info Session: Κύπρος & Ελλάδα
Μάθετε για τις χρηματοδοτήσεις NGI0 (€5.000 – €50.000) που στηρίζουν ανοιχτό λογισμικό, πρότυπα (standards), ανοιχτά δεδομένα, και ψηφιακά commons.
Πότε: 19:00
Που: Online – Details: https://ellak.org.cy/2025/08/27/ngi0infosession1/
20/9 Saturday – Repair Café @ LaouLaou
Theme: Right to Repair – Bring your old laptop and give it a second life! /
- Τραπέζι Ανοιχτής Τεχνολογίας – Δικαίωμα στην Επισκευή: φέρε να αναστήσουμε τον παλιό σου υπολογιστή!
- Where: Open Technologies Booth @ LaouLaou, Limassol [INSERT LINK / ADDRESS]
- Mobilisation Ask: Invite friends, bring devices, and let’s gather at least 15 community members to demonstrate repair in action.
**3rd October – EL/LAK Assembly**
Participatory Agenda & Rolling Notes: https://mypads.framapad.org/mypads/?/mypads/group/ellakk-2025-eqru27fd/pad/view/ellak-cy-assembly-mins-2025-fuhza7c1
When: 18:00
Where: Online – Join here: https://calls.disroot.org/ellak-cy-reunion
Backchannel: https://app.element.io/#/room/#ellakcy:matrix.org
In the News
– Cyprus’ €34M Government Hybrid Cloud Tender will define the country’s digital backbone for the next decade. The risk: vendor lock-in and foreign cloud dependency. The opportunity: an open, auditable system aligned with EU digital sovereignty goals, creating space for local universities & SMEs. Clarification deadline: 19 Sept 2025
Submission deadline: 3 Oct 2025
– Chrystalleni Loizidou (2025). A field report from the “other” Cyprus Tech Event – https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/07/11/a-field-report-from-the-other-cyprus-tech-event
– Andreas Shialaros. (2025, August 24). The EU is preparing to destroy digital privacy – and Cyprus supports it. Cyprus Mail. https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/08/24/the-eu-is-preparing-to-destroy-digital-privacy-and-cyprus-supports-it
– Tomaz Lovsin. (2025, September 3). Safety or Surveillance? Europe’s Debate over Chat Control. https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/09/03/safety-or-surveillance-europes-debate-over-chat-control
– Tomaz Lovsin. (2023, August 2). The EU Digital Services Act: A Potential Threat to Freedom of Speech [Substack newsletter]. Thomas’s Opinion Blog. https://oblivion777.substack.com/p/the-eu-digital-services-act-a-potential
This is a first taste of a dedicated Newsletter focusing on FLOSS, for Cyprus. To participate / offer editorial support / recommend newsitems contact: c@neeii.info
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