There are two basic strategies in the control of an outbreak: containment and mitigation. Containment is done in the early stages of the outbreak, and aims to trace and isolate infected individuals within a community to stop the disease from being spread to the rest of the population.
COVID-19 is a shock but not unprecedented. Previous generations have dealt with Spanish flu, cholera, plague and much more pandemics. Humanity would still go on!
It is at times like this that so many things that we take for granted can be lost. We humans will find new ways to cope.
The questions we can ask ourselves this time is:
- How would we like to use the COVID-19 disruption to our lives to improve the world?
- Can we use this emerging pandemic to do some good and reset our daily habits to be more meaningful or sustainable?
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights treaty adopted by the United Nations states that, “the enjoyment of the highest standards of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition”. The full enjoyment of the right to health is critical for the enjoyment of other human rights. Good health is thus an end in itself and it plays an integral role in human capabilities and well-being.
Social Sustainability is mainly concerned with the creation and maintenance of the quality of life of people within a society. It gives emphasis to the protection of the psychological and physical health of all people, it encourages social cohesion and provides education to people who in turn have the opportunity to contribute to society as a whole and develop relationships within it.
An academic e-book compiled of student projects from the Architecture Department of University of Nicosia on Social Sustainability in Cyprus is now available on-line. The goal of this book is to transfer knowledge without any monetary benefit. The book is available for free.
Edited by academics Petros Lapithis and Anna Papadopoulou and journalist Melissa Hekkers, the book brings to the local case studies to the forefront in an attempt to give a concrete understanding on social sustainability and architectural practices.
Download high Resolution print:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=14aI__nVjy7MveZrS9FOAw85kyU8Z-qce
View low resolution book:
https://issuu.com/petroslapithis/docs/designing_a_difference_-2nd_edition_-issuu
Lapithis, P., Papadopoulou A., Hekkers M. «Designing a Difference: Social Sustainability in Cyprus» 2nd edition. PCA press, Nicosia Cyprus. September 2020. ISBN978-9963-9789-6-0