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- Ελληνικά
The Press and Information Office (PIO) of the Republic of Cyprus and the Cyprus House of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Athens organized yesterday, Tuesday, June 25, the presentation of the PIO's photographic exhibition entitled "50 years of Turkish invasion and occupation".
At the photographic exhibition the public had the opportunity to see period photographs from the photographic archive of the Press and Information Office. Through the rare photographic material of the exhibition, scenes from Turkey's brutal invasion of Cyprus are recorded and unseen aspects of the history of the megalithic island unfold. The attendees were transported back in time, 50 years ago, to 1974, and saw through the anthropocentric photographs the human suffering of the refugees and the Cypriot people, the harsh conditions of detention of prisoners in Turkey, the agony of the relatives of the missing and the destruction of the cultural heritage of the island. The photographic exhibition reminds the public that the Cyprus problem remains open, as the painful consequences of the invasion and the subsequent violent division and illegal military occupation by Turkey are still present.
In the context of the event, the anniversary short film "Operation Museum", directed by Petros Charalambous and written by Kostas Mannouris, was screened. The film unfolds an aspect of the war unknown to the general public. The superhuman and painstaking efforts made by the Director of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus Mr. Vassos Karagiorgis and the staff of the Department for the storage and dispatch of the exhibits of the Cyprus Museum in Athens, with the ultimate goal of preserving the cultural heritage of Cyprus.
Through the film, the unparalleled value of preserving the cultural heritage of each people and the importance of culture in preserving the historical memory and identity of a people is recalled. Particularly in the case of Cyprus, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion, the preservation of the exhibits is also the preservation of the roots of the Cypriot people that go back to antiquity.
The exhibition was inaugurated by the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Athens, Mr. Stavros Augustidis and the Director of the Press and Information Office, Ms. Aliki Stylianou. In his address, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus stressed that the memories remain vivid, as Cyprus continues to bleed from the deep trauma of the Turkish invasion and the tragic consequences of the illegal military occupation.
Referring to the photographs in the exhibition, Avgoustidis pointed out that each photograph offers a unique glimpse of a particular moment, storing and conveying the emotions, events and experiences associated with it. "Through the immediacy of the photographic record," said Avgoustidis, "the testimony of each image is intertwined with the weight of history, but at the same time it is linked to a human story of pain and loss."
The Director of the Press and Information Office Mrs. Aliki Stylianou said that both the photographic exhibition "50 years of Turkish invasion and occupation" and the film "Operation Museum" are part of a wider set of actions, which are taking place in Cyprus and around the world to mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and illegal occupation of almost half of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
Ms. Stylianou noted that "for half a century since the most tragic moment in Cyprus' history, generations of children are born and grow up in the harsh reality of a wounded Cyprus". He also stressed that "both the photo exhibition and the film aim to remind us that the Cyprus problem remains unresolved and that the current state of affairs can in no way be considered acceptable".
Finally, during the event, the director Mr. Petros Charalambous, the screenwriter Mr. Kostas Mannouris and the composer of the music Ms. Andrea Maria Kounna presented the film "Operation Museum" and answered questions from the attendees.
The photographic exhibition will remain on display at the Embassy's exhibition space until 30 August 2024. The opening hours of the exhibition are as follows:
June: Monday - Friday: 10:00-14:00
July: Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Friday: 10:00-14:00
Thursday: 10:00-18:00
August: Monday - Friday: 10:00-14:00
(AT/NZ/GS)
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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