Mr Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Federation (ITF), presented a lecture on ITF and its mission to protect the rights of transport workers worldwide during an event on March 28th at our Limassol campus.

ITF is a global union federation of 670 trade unions representing over 18 million transport workers in 150 countries in the maritime, port, aviation, road, rail and urban transport sectors. 

Mr Cotton spoke about the ITF history and mission to protect and improve workers' lives and futures, while underscoring the crucial role of transport workers as the lifeblood of the global economy, connecting critical supply chains, markets, and societies, and keeping our world moving. The lecture was followed by an engaging discussion. The audience consisted of Maritime and Law students, stakeholders in the various sectors of the maritime industry and others who addressed insightful questions and remarks.

During the event, Mr. Cotton was presented with a gift by the Faculty of the Department of Maritime Transport and Commerce, as an acknowledgment of his contribution to improving working conditions in the maritime and transport sector.

Additionally, two Maritime graduates were honored for their contribution to securing seafarers' rights: Mr. Charalambos Avgousti, General Secretary of the Cyprus Workers' Confederation (OMEPEGE-SEK), and Ms. Christiana Efstratiou, Special Inspector of the ITF in Cyprus.

The event was co-organized by the Department of Maritime Transport and Commerce and the Department of Law.