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It is with great pleasure and honour that I stand before you today to address this important conference for the history and culture of Cyprus, which deals with the founding myths of our island throughout the centuries and their connection with the works of the most important Greek epic poet of antiquity, Homer. Cypriot literature, a vast sea of myths and stories, stands as a beacon of culture throughout the centuries, inspiring and shaping modern thought.
The two-day conference will take us on a journey through our rich cultural and historical heritage through original papers presented by our distinguished speakers from Greece and Cyprus.
The Ministry of Culture, setting as one of its most important strategic objectives cultural education and training, actively supports actions such as the present one, which address both the wider public and a more specialized audience, such as teachers of secondary and primary education, members of the international academic community, Cypriot -and not only- literary scholars and students of ancient (Cypriot) literature.
It is through such important interdisciplinary actions that the cultivation of cultural literacy, an important pillar of our Ministry's action plan, is developed, for the promotion of which we have developed the necessary financial tools and education programmes.
Cyprus, through its historical past and the various influences it received from its conquerors, has been a melting pot of cultures that left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness.
It is with great interest that we look forward to attending the presentations of the distinguished speakers at the conference, which I am sure will not only impart new knowledge about the founding myths of Cyprus, but will inspire us to appreciate and preserve our cultural heritage for future generations.
On the occasion of today's event, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, the Department of Philology of the Faculty of Philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), the Laboratory of Cypriot Studies (ER.CY.ME.) of the Department of Philology of the Faculty of Philosophy of NKUA, the Department of Classical Studies and Philosophy of the University of Cyprus, the Association of Greek Cyprus Philologists "Stasinos" and the Association of Greek Cypriot Philologists S.E.K.F. - O.E.L.M.E.K,
I would like to thank them for their tireless efforts for the preservation of our cultural heritage and its promotion to future generations. My thanks also go to the Press and Information Office for taking on the role of communication sponsor.
In conclusion, let me also express my warmest thanks to all you participants for your dedication and active participation, and wish you every success in the proceedings of the conference.
The Deputy Ministry of Culture will stand by and support such great initiatives that promote cultural education and training on our island, always with the aim of preserving and promoting our cultural heritage.
For the conference programme click here.
(EFYs/EAth/NZ)
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