Press Releases

It is truly a pleasure for me to be here with you today and to have the opportunity to welcome you to Cyprus as Deputy Minister of Culture and to the conference of the European Museum Academy, organized by the Leventis Municipal Museum and the A. G. Leventis Gallery. It is indeed a special honour for our country that these two emblematic venues and beacons of culture, located in the capital of Cyprus have been chosen to host this year’s annual conference of the European Museum Academy.

I would thus like to take this opportunity to thank the team of the two museums for organizing this prestigious event here in Cyprus and to warmly congratulate our host, Loukia Hadjigavriel, for joining the board of the European Museum Academy.

It is particularly important to note that the conference takes place in two museums that are accredited by the Deputy Ministry of Culture, one as a private museum and the other as a Local Authority museum, on the basis of the provisions of the relevant legislation of the Republic of Cyprus. The aim of this legislation is to highlight, promote and consolidate best practices both in the field of organization, management and operation of museums, as well as in terms of the services they offer to visitors.

Accredited museums are expected to increase their public outlook, while strengthening their role as educational, scientific and cultural organizations and acting as a major player in the country’s cultural ecosystem. Both the Leventis Municipal Museum and the A. G. Leventis Gallery fulfill these expectations to the maximum extent possible, with a full yearly program of activities such as exhibitions, lectures and perhaps most important of all educational programs for both children and adults.

Accredited museums may also receive funding from the Deputy Ministry of Culture, in order to implement projects, activities and programs that have a developmental character and orientation. The “Plan for the Granting of State Funds to Accredited Museums” is a necessary complementary tool to the legislation on the accreditation of private museums and museums of local authorities, since it provides some of the financial means for the museums to organize educational programs and events. The fact that part of the organization costs of today's conference is provided by the resources of this Plan is the solid proof of the benefits that the museums gain, when they receive accreditation.

In closing, would like to congratulate both the European Museum Academy and the two museums hosting the proceedings of the conference, as well as all those who have worked for the overall organization. I would like to wish success to all the museums which are being reviewed for one of the awards and wish you all a pleasant stay in Cyprus.

Thank you very much. 

(EK)