The Paleontology room of the Municipal Museum of Agia Napa "Thalassa" was renamed on Thursday, September 1st, to the "Andrea Karagiannis - Exhibition of Fossilized Endemic Mammals of Cyprus" room.
The Greeting of the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Mr. Yannis Karousos at the naming ceremony of the hall.
It is a special honor to be here today, in this very beautiful place, to honor a man from Ayia Napa, a man who, without any personal gain, dedicated his life to researching the archaeological and paleontological wealth of our place, the blessed friend Andreas Karagiannis .
Andreas Karagiannis is the man who, with his perseverance, contributed the most to the discoveries about pygmy hippopotamuses and elephants in Ayia Napa. During my time as Mayor, he visited me many times to ask me to investigate and explore various sites, where he confidently stated that there would be either archaeological or paleontological wealth.
I remember that several times we went together for him to indicate to me where there are caves of interest, either to visit and identify or to carry out on-site research, with the aim of further enriching the Municipality of Ayia Napa as well as its history. I am particularly pleased that the excavation site for the finds has been highlighted and the construction of a shelter has recently been completed where visitors can comfortably enjoy the area. During our various visits there were several other caves in Ayia Napa, he wanted to show them to me, inform me and convince me that there are important finds in the area.
In fact, he persistently asked me to promote the exploration of the cave of Cabo Greco, as he believed that there were important finds,'friend, mayor, I think it's something you should promote'.
I would like to address the family of blessed Andreas Karagiannis to tell them publicly that they should feel proud of the man, father, husband and grandfather Andreas Karagiannis. Andreas Karagiannis was a special person who has left his mark not only in the Municipality of Agia Napa but in general in the archaeological and paleontological area of our country. He was the man who managed to put Ayia Napa on the World Paleontological Map, and the one who led Professor Giorgos Theodorou and the National Kapodistrian University of Athens, together with the relevant departments of the Government and Colgate University, to the Municipality of Ayia Napa for excavations.
I wish we had him with us today, where with the new Mayor whom he would annoy, in quotes, they would have gone on site visits telling him various stories about our place.
Also noteworthy is the fact that Andreas Karagiannis was collecting stones from the Cabo Greco area that had a strange writing on them and insisted they had some connection to Ancient Atlantis, and I remember that the RIK did a tribute on that subject. Characteristically, he had brought me photos of the specific stones and I had handed them over to the Department of Antiquities to investigate the specific matter.
In closing, I would like to repeat that Andreas Karagiannis is the man who has contributed the most to the local community and to Cyprus, and today the Municipality of Ayia Napa appropriately acknowledges his contribution with the ceremony of naming a hall of the Museum after "Andreas Karagiannis". An act that honors the memory of Andreas, his family, but also the Municipality of Ayia Napa itself, as it recognizes those who have offered selflessly over the years. This hall today has become a reality because, even if initially many did not believe Andreas, some of us, like the then Mayor the late Nakis Tsokkos, fortunately listened to him, believed him and that is why we have these discoveries, saving a part of our history from being lost to time.