Press Releases

“Fostering a Stronger Alliance between Europe and the Middle East through Cultural Heritage’

It is with great pride and anticipation that we have gathered here today at the University of Cyprus to launch the new Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. This is an initiative rooted in our collective commitment to preserve and celebrate our cultural heritage, which at the same time seeks to build a bridge of mutual respect and understanding between Europe and the Middle East. Since ancient times the island has been regarded as the Easternmost frontier of Europe and always acted as the bridge between Europe and the East. There is thus no better place for the establishment of a Europa Nostra Heritage Hub, which will cover the entire Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

This event, which celebrates Nicosia as the third city in Europe to host a regional Europa Nostra Heritage Hub, further strengthens our country’s relations with this important Organization, who as the European Voice of Civil Society dedicated to Cultural Heritage, connects citizens and EU institutions. The organization’s vital role in raising awareness about the significance of cultural heritage for Europe, advocating for its integration into EU policies, securing proper funding, and actively engaging in EU policy discussions and decision-making, is crucial towards the objective of cultural heritage protection.

Over the years, Cyprus has maintained a long-lasting association with Europa Nostra. Be it through the participation of institutions and experts from Cyprus in the multitude of its activities or through State support via European Union funding. This relationship has been intensified thanks to Μrs Androula Vasileiou, Former European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, who has served as vice president for Europa Nostra for many years and who has played a pivotal role in the decision to establish the hub here. Cyprus also boasts nine Europa Nostra awards in different categories, the most recent being the Heritage Champion Award to artist Hambis Tsangaris in 2023.

The founding partners of the Hub, the University of Cyprus, the Cyprus Institute and the A.G. Leventis Foundation, share a deep, longstanding commitment to preserving cultural heritage, as well as advancing research, innovation, education, communication, and management. The University of Cyprus, which I have served for 29 years, is undoubtedly the leading research institution across various disciplines, including archaeology, boasting the only ERC award in this field for Cyprus. The Cyprus Institute – a research and educational institution with a strong scientific and technological orientation – has been very successful in securing significant funding for numerous projects which focus on Cultural Heritage. Most importantly it has established the European Center of Excellence for Climate and Atmosphere, a leading player in research on climate issues. The A.G. Leventis Foundation, a winner itself of the Europa Nostra Award for its long-standing, active engagement in the preservation and promotion of european cultural heritage, is committed to safeguarding the cultural heritage of mankind, and funds projects both in Europe and Africa. Even more importantly, as I have often told members of the Leventis family, the foundation’s scholarship program has played a crucial role in building the next generation of scholars in the field of humanities and beyond. The foundation has also steadfastly supported Europa Nostra for many years.

I believe that this strong partnership ensures that the Nicosia Hub's actions and efforts will be both impactful and far reaching.

As the first quarter of the 21^st century is coming to an end, we find ourselves watching in disbelief our world changing rapidly and in ways we could not have imagined. We face challenges that derive from globalization, climate change, geopolitical tensions and wars, all of which leave behind devastation and a sense of uncertainty for the future.

In this context, there is a need to foster stronger cultural ties between Europe and the Middle East. Indeed, these threats highlight even further the need to preserve heritage values transferred through generations, in order to secure a sustainable and peaceful future. Cultural heritage has the power to act as a unifying force and can serve as a bridge, not just between different cultures, but also between the past, the present, and the future. Acknowledging the political urgency of safeguarding cultural heritage – tangible and intangible – the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia will enable us to collaborate in drafting a road map for exactly that, a better future.

The Deputy Ministry of Culture, which was established less than three years ago by bringing together different government departments with a long history, is dedicated to the preservation of Cyprus’ cultural heritage and the promotion and support of its Modern and Contemporary Culture.

The Deputy Ministry’s strategic goals are fully in line with the establishment of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub, particularly through its focus on the following:

1) Creating a strong Network of Strategic Partners from Europe and from the region leveraging our strategic geographical location and 2) Strengthening Cultural Diplomacy through the Development and building of International Partnerships and promoting the island to become a safe haven, for culture and reconciliation.

Social changes, such as increasing urbanization, development pressures and economic challenges, are emerging as major factors that strongly impact cultural heritage. In addition to phenomena such as intense climate change and increasing levels of pollution, the destructive human interventions observed in the context of armed conflicts are highly relevant to Cyprus, an island which 50 years after the Turkish invasion remains divided. However, the two communities are working together to mitigate some of these effects through the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH), which was established in 2008 by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders under the auspices of the United Nations, and which has received one of Cyprus’ Europa Nostra Heritage Champions Award in 2021. I quote from the Europa Nostra site the preamble of the award:  “The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage has uninterruptedly dedicated its time, energy and expertise to the recognition, promotion and protection of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Cyprus, and by extension, of Europe. Over a period of 12 years, the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage has successfully restored and conserved more than 70 monuments of great historical, archaeological, religious and societal importance… The Committee is equally composed of representatives of the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities. These representatives have worked tirelessly to centre cultural heritage as a powerful tool for peaceful cooperation and for the creation of a climate of reconciliation”.

Climate change also stands out as one of the most pressing challenges of our times, whose effects are already felt across many parts of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Recognizing these threats, and in conjunction with the island’s geographical position, the Republic of Cyprus has proposed and initiated the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Initiative (EMME) in 2019, to address the impacts of climate change on a number of sectors, including cultural heritage.

The Deputy Ministry of Culture has been actively engaged in policy-making decisions related to climate change, participating not only at the political level but also in expert-level decision making processes.

Acknowledging the need for support, Cyprus is proud to be a member of the Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action; an initiative launched at COP28 that took place in Dubai in December 2023. This Group, for the creation of which her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas played an eminent role, marks a significant step forward in incorporating cultural considerations into climate change action. A tangible result of that meeting is the “Emirates Declaration on Culture-based Climate Action”, a document that Cyprus endorsed.

I have stated then, and I will repeat today that: “Collective action is needed, and we need to find ways to avoid duplication, increase our interoperability, exchange of best practices and lessons learned, and as importantly find ways to move from theory to institutionalized action. The Republic of Cyprus is mindful of the effects of climate change. Our region in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East is characterized as a climate hot spot. That is why we advocate for the need for international and regional cooperation, for mutually addressing and mitigating the effects of the climate crisis. Island states, such as Cyprus, are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and we acknowledge the need for effective climate change action”.

Bringing culture to the forefront of political discussions, especially during times of crisis, has been and will continue to be a central focus of my tenure as Deputy Minister of Culture. In recent years the need to safeguard cultural rights has been brought to the fore, as they become increasingly relevant in debates including those on sustainable development.

Thus, in September 2024, the Deputy Ministry organized a conference as part of the MED9 Summit, titled: “Cultural Rights in Times of Crisis – Contemporary Challenges and Perspectives” which was followed by an online meeting of Ministers of Culture of the MED9 members. At the end of the meeting, we adopted the MED9 Declaration on Cultural Rights through which we committed to work towards, ensuring that everyone has the right to take part in the cultural life both of the society and his/her own communities. In addition, we committed to ensure that individuals and groups have their right to cultural heritage and to protect cultural heritage of all in our territories in times of peace and conflict. We recognized that what constitutes cultural heritage will be defined by the holders of such heritage and further committed to interpret and use the UNESCO and Council of Europe instruments on cultural heritage in a manner that respects and promotes cultural rights for all.

By promoting dialogue among countries of Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub could play a leading role in creating a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and learning from one another’s experiences. This dialogue will not only improve our collective knowledge of heritage preservation but also deepen our respect for one another’s cultures, traditions, and values.

In this spirit of mutual respect, the Hub can facilitate partnerships across the broader region, empowering local communities and organizations to take the lead in preserving their own heritage. It can also offer a platform for collaborative projects that bring together diverse cultures and stakeholders, focusing on research, education and capacity building activities, and promoting cultural exchanges, understanding and cooperation.

As we inaugurate this exciting new initiative, we are reminded that the preservation of cultural heritage is not a solitary endeavor but a shared responsibility that goes beyond borders. This is a joint responsibility that brings us together and connects us in the effort to secure the better and brighter future we are striving to build for our children and for future generations.

By strengthening the alliance between Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East through cultural heritage, we are not simply preserving the past – we are forging a path towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and peaceful future.

I am sure the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia will be a champion for this cause and the Deputy Ministry of Culture will be a steadfast ally in this venture.

This is why it is a great pleasure that with the help of Sneska Mihailovic and Androula Vasileiou my proposal to host the Europa Nostra Award ceremony in June 2026, during Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the European Union, has been approved. Thus, Nicosia will host the prestigious and highly significant award ceremony for 2026.

In closing, I would like to congratulate everyone who has helped to make the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia a reality. I wish you all the best for the future.

Thank you.

(EK)