Nicosia: On Monday, 48 Cypriot antiquities that had been part of a private collection in Greece were returned to the Cyprus Museum. The antiquities were handed over to Deputy Minister of Culture Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou by Minister of Culture of the Hellenic Republic, Lina Mendoni, during an official ceremony. The items consist of vessels and limestone figurines dating from the Early Bronze Age to the Medieval period.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the antiquities had been acquired in Cyprus during the 1960s and 1970s. Following the collector's death, his heirs decided to hand them over to the Greek State so that the possibility of returning the objects to their country of origin could be examined.
In her remarks, Dr. Kassianidou thanked the Minister of Culture of the Hellenic Republic, who, "always supports anything and anyone that helps Cyprus," as well as the competent Greek authorities for their decisive contribution to the return of these antiquities to Cyprus. She also thanked the collector's heirs, who preserved the antiquities and voluntarily handed them over to the relevant authorities.
The Deputy Minister stressed that the return of these antiquities is not merely an example of cooperation between the competent authorities of Cyprus and Greece, nor just another aspect of the bilateral agreement she signed with the Greek Minister of Culture a year and a half ago, which is being implemented in many ways. 'Above all, it is a tangible example of how the protection of cultural heritage and the right of societies to maintain a living connection with their history, memory, and identity are put into practice,' she pointed out.
She added that 'for countries such as Cyprus and Greece, this discussion has particular significance and weight. Both countries possess cultural heritage of invaluable worth. Both have experienced, in different ways and at different times, loss and dispossession, and both seek the return of their cultural property. Our struggle is a common one and is inextricably linked to the effort to safeguard our historical memory and our roots.'
On her part, Mendoni said that the Hellenic Republic was particularly pleased to return 48 antiquities of Cypriot culture to Cyprus. 'Greece, which is at the forefront of protecting cultural heritage from illegal trafficking, is returning these 48 antiquities to the place where they originated, in accordance with the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the bilateral agreement we signed one and a half years ago with the Deputy Minister of the Republic of Cyprus,' she said.
Mendoni added that 'Greece, like Cyprus, has suffered from the looting of its cultural heritage. The two countries are joining forces because we know very well that the genuine protection of cultural property at the international level requires cooperation, mutual understanding, and mutual assistance among peoples.'