The Deputy Ministries of Culture and Tourism are planning new cultural routes which will focus on the province of Famagusta and in particular on remote or hitherto unknown monuments to the general public and will also include the monuments of Achna, Deputy Minister of Culture Vasiliki Kassianidou said on Saturday.
Ms. Kassianidou was speaking at the conference entitled "Achna...place, history, culture, people", which was co-organized by the Achnas Kyriakos Hatziioannou Cultural Association, the Petrondas Modern Greek Studies University of the University of Cyprus, and the History Doctoral Program of the University of Neapolis Paphos, and was held in the Dasous Achnas event hall.
In her greeting, the Deputy Minister of Culture stated that "the conference is an important step for the community of Achna and its residents, since it will take us on a journey to our rich cultural and historical heritage through the announcements that will be presented by prestigious speakers".
He noted that "the Deputy Ministry of Culture stands as a helper and supporter in the work carried out by the uncritical and occupied communities to strengthen ties with the native land as well as in keeping alive the memory of history, the heritage, the tradition of morals and customs, highlighting the richness of the region ».
He noted that Achna, with a centuries-long history of particular historical and archaeological interest that starts from ancient times and reaches up to the 19th century, is a jewel of the region, and emphasized that, "today's conference will bring to light unknown aspects of its history".
The Deputy Ministry of Culture in the context of strengthening cultural literacy and education, he said, "supports and encourages such actions which are addressed both to a specialized audience and to the general public and the locals who want to learn more about their place of origin".
Mrs. Kassianidou made reference "to the archaeological surveys and excavations carried out by the Department of Antiquities in the area during the last two decades where important finds came to light, including ancient carved tombs and the site of a sanctuary".
At the same time, he said, "the area presents a rich Byzantine tradition with three declared Ancient Monuments of Table II, among which is the church of Agios Georgios Teratsiotis with rich fresco decoration".
The main goal of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, he noted, "concerns the further information of the public and its accessibility to monuments of the region that are so far unknown with the aim of highlighting its rich cultural character".
The Deputy Minister of Culture stated that "in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, new cultural routes are being planned that focus on the province of Famagusta and in particular on remote or hitherto unknown monuments to the general public, and the monuments of Achna will also be included".
Memory, said Mrs. Kassianidou, "constitutes the most reliable factor in preserving our historical and national identity".
"Events like today's remind us that the promotion and highlighting of our history and culture can be one of the strongest weapons against oblivion and can be a means of keeping the memory of our occupied territories indelible," he concluded.