Nicosia: The consequences of the invasion continue to threaten our cultural heritage, said Deputy Minister of Culture, Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, speaking at an event for ICOMOS International Day for Monuments and Sites, 2025, in Nicosia. In her address at the event, she noted that the work produced by the bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage “is vital.”
According to Cyprus News Agency, the theme of this year’s International Day, “Heritage under threat from disasters and conflicts: Preparedness and lessons from 60 years of ICOMOS action,” is unfortunately very timely, given the threats to cultural heritage worldwide today. Kassianidou noted that this year’s theme for ICOMOS International Day for Monuments and Sites is inextricably linked to the history of the country’s cultural heritage and the tireless, long-standing efforts of the Department of Antiquities to ensure its preservation.
The Deputy Minister highlighted that the destruction and looting of Cyprus’ cultural heritage, especially rel
igious monuments, is among the tragic consequences of the Turkish invasion of 1974. “Unfortunately, the consequences of the invasion continue to threaten our cultural heritage, as numerous monuments and archaeological sites in the occupied areas require immediate intervention to address the damage caused by time and neglect. The work carried out by the bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage is vital to reversing this situation,” she stressed.
She underlined that the tragic events of 1974 led the Department to take immediate action and, among other things, to develop at a very early stage the necessary tools for the protection of Cyprus’ cultural heritage, investing in international relations and cooperation, through the conclusion of agreements and memoranda of understanding with other states, particularly for the monitoring of antiquities illicit trafficking. She cited as an example Cyprus’ participation in the Meeting of the Member States of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiti
ng and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, saying that this is valuable, as is Cyprus’ participation in European Commission groups with similar objectives.
At the same time, Kassianidou said that “our policy also focuses on the involvement of the Department of Antiquities in other institutions,” such as the Meetings of the Member States of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the Member States of the 1999 Second Protocol to the Hague Convention, and the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
She pointed out that protecting cultural heritage from natural and man-made disasters was discussed at the recent Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Culture in Warsaw, where, representing the Republic of Cyprus, she conveyed the readiness of the Deputy Ministry of Culture to provide expertise to Ukraine, which is currently facing challenges in this area, since Cypr
us, as she said, is an example of good practice in this field.
She added that the strategy of the Deputy Ministry of Culture is clear, multidimensional, and aims to improve “the resilience of our monuments and the protection of our cultural heritage through the upgrading of the legal framework and the strengthening of transnational cooperation, as well as through international organizations such as ICOMOS, UNESCO, ICCROM, ICOM, and Europa Nostra.”
At the same time, the Deputy Minister said, “we are focusing on the digitization and documentation of all monuments and the promotion of new technologies and research programs for risk identification and management.”
In closing, she said that the Deputy Ministry of Culture believes that our cultural heritage is not only our identity and history, but also the foundation for a better world and a bridge for peace. “Its preservation requires collective action and awareness on the part of society in a rapidly changing world. For this reason, the cooperation of the Dep
uty Ministry with bodies such as ICOMOS and ETEK, as well as with the Association of Cypriot Archaeologists, is more than necessary,” she concluded.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.