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- Русский
It is with great pleasure that we are here today, at the Gallery of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation, for the inauguration of the exhibition of artworks by students who participated in the educational programmes of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth. The exhibition is held on the occasion of the International Museum Day, which is celebrated every year on 18 May.
One of the main objectives of the Ministry of Education is to familiarize children with the cultural heritage of our country and foster a sense of personal, national and global cultural identity. Museums are undoubtedly part of the cultural heritage, as they preserve, promote and reveal the history, struggles and culture of every people throughout the centuries. Therefore, getting to know the treasures, i.e. the exhibits of museums, should be a basic pillar of education, while museums themselves should not only function as exhibition spaces but also as places of education and entertainment.
In this context, the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth has been implementing educational programmes in museums in Cyprus for primary school pupils since 1996. To date, tens of thousands of children have taken part in these programmes, gaining hands-on experience and attitudes towards life.
The children's works from two such educational programmes are presented here today. Since 2010, the Byzantine Museum has been running the programme "Journey to Byzantine Art", which introduces schoolchildren to the way Byzantine icons were created and brings them into contact with important icons of Cyprus. In the Gallery of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation, through the "Hymn to Freedom" programme, children come into contact with important works of art about the Greek Revolution of 1821 and Cyprus' participation in it. Then, as a result of their visit to these exhibitions, and as part of their art education lessons, the children create their own works of art, which are exhibited every year on the occasion of International Museum Day. Through the students' creations, the imagination, sensitivity and creative abilities of our children are highlighted, as well as the important work that is carried out in everyday school practice at all levels, from kindergarten to high school, in the context of the teaching of visual education.
I extend my warmest congratulations to our young artists, who, through their awareness of the specific themes, captured, with the spontaneity of their age, the experiences, feelings and knowledge they have acquired, giving an impressive aesthetic result.
I would also like to congratulate the Director General of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation and the Director of the Byzantine Museum and the Gallery of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation for the facilities provided to the Ministry's officials for the implementation of the programme and the organisation of the children's regular exhibition.
As the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, we support and encourage similar efforts and initiatives that contribute to the achievement of the general objectives of education and at the same time highlight the work done in our schools in general, but especially on issues related to arts and culture, areas that contribute to the aesthetic cultivation and healthy engagement of our children.
With these thoughts I inaugurate the exhibition and wish all children to continue their engagement with art, thus enjoying the satisfaction of artistic creation.
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