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Dear Commissioner for the Environment,
Dear Director of the Department of Antiquities,
Dear President and members of ICOMOS Cyprus,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome the event co-organised by ICOMOS Cyprus, the Office of the Environment Commissioner, the Department of Antiquities and the Research Unit of the University of Cyprus, in the context of the International Day of Monuments and Sites, celebrated every year on 18 April. By decision of the international ICOMOS, the celebrations this year focus on the Venice Charter, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its adoption in 1964 in Venice, during the Second International Congress of Architects and Technicians of Historic Monuments. The aim of the Charter, which was adopted by ICOMOS in 1965, is to ensure the protection of monuments through the establishment of conditions for their restoration and conservation.
I am also particularly pleased that today's event concerns the lecture by a very dear colleague, Dr Michael Olybios, Associate Professor at the Archaeology Research Unit of the University of Cyprus, on "ecclesiastical architecture in Lusignan and Venetian Cyprus". A subject, that is, which is directly related to the need to preserve the monuments of Cyprus and especially of the Middle Ages, an era that marked the history and character of our country's cultural heritage, which we today are called upon to manage and preserve, in order to hand it over as intact as possible to future generations. To today's audience I believe there is no need to emphasise the importance, size and complexity of our country's archaeological heritage. But it is worth remembering, especially today as we celebrate the complex value of ancient monuments, that we, as servants of this cultural wealth, have a duty to work together with all our forces for its preservation.
The protection and preservation of our cultural heritage is one of the main axes of the work of the Ministry of Culture, which is ensured through the important work carried out over time by the Department of Antiquities. In particular, this work of protecting our heritage in the current era, with natural and man-made disasters, the climate crisis, military conflicts and the migration problem, is becoming particularly painful, but it is also necessary in order to preserve the universal values that the ancient monuments themselves carry. It is these values that will help to address the multiple challenges in order to achieve the sustainable development of society, ensuring the basis for social cohesion through the preservation of our identity and history. Nowadays, the Venice Charter is undoubtedly a key tool in our efforts to preserve our cultural heritage. Already sixty years ago, the Charter, by recognising the need to preserve the setting of monuments and their significance, and by drawing up the conditions for conservation and restoration in a contemporary social context, provided us - in an era of great speed and change - with the necessary tools to deal with dangerous factors that threaten the authenticity of monuments and their natural landscape.
As the Deputy Ministry of Culture, as well as myself personally, we recognise the urgent need to protect and preserve our heritage, both by supporting, strengthening and promoting the work of the Department of Antiquities and by actively participating in European and international actions and initiatives, such as those promoted by the Council of Europe and the European Commission, UNESCO, ICOMOS, ICCROM, Europa Nostra and other bodies. The ultimate goal of these actions is the need to create the framework that will safeguard cultural values from contemporary risks and threats, but also to recognize the role that our common cultural heritage can play in global sustainable development, safeguarding human rights and strengthening transnational relations.
Recognizing the danger of climate change, which already threatens monuments and archaeological sites around the globe, last December I participated in the first meeting of the At the same time, our active participation in high level international initiatives aims to highlight the role that Cyprus can play in the conservation of the cultural heritage of the wider Eastern Mediterranean.
On this basis, the Deputy Ministry of Culture promotes synergies between local stakeholders and invests in the relations of its relevant departments with academic and research institutions in Cyprus and abroad for the application of interdisciplinary approaches and new methods for the best possible outcome in the conservation of the cultural heritage of the wider Eastern Mediterranean.
On this basis, the Deputy Ministry of Culture promotes synergies between local stakeholders and invests in the relations of its relevant departments with academic and research institutions in Cyprus and abroad for the application of interdisciplinary approaches and new methods for the best possible outcome in the conservation of the cultural heritage of the wider Eastern Mediterranean. At the same time, our Deputy Ministry seeks close cooperation with bodies such as ICOMOS and ETEK, recognizing that the exchange of expertise and mutual support has as its sole beneficiary the cultural heritage of our country. Today's speech by Dr Michael Olybios testifies precisely to the importance of these synergies and in this case the work of the University of Cyprus and the Archaeology Research Unit in the study of our cultural heritage, through recording and research, as well as the transfer of this knowledge to young students.
In conclusion, I would like to thank ICOMOS Cyprus and the other co-organizers of this event and stress that the Ministry of State will continue to support the important work carried out by all for the preservation and promotion of our culture. The Venice Charter will remain a beacon in our work, illuminating our joint efforts, with a view to the preservation of our monuments and cultural heritage.
(EC/EAth/NGian)
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