A meeting with the Mayor of Famagusta, Dr. Simos Ioannou, was held today, Friday, September 19, 2025, at the Ayia Napa Town Hall by Mayor Mr. Christos Zannetou, in the presence of the Deputy Mayors of Ayia Napa, Sotiras, Liopetri, Achna and Avgorou, Messrs. Antonis Christos, Antonis Koumis, Markos Koumis, Nikos Vassilas and Panagis Michailas, as well as Members of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Famagusta, Messrs. Michalis Vassiliou, Andreas Flourentzos and the Municipal Secretary of the occupied Municipality, Ms. Marilena Manoli.
During the meeting, ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two Municipalities were discussed, following the temporary installation of the Famagusta Art Gallery at the Ayia Napa Municipal Museum "THALASSA" in January 2023.
At the same time, it was decided to support the Municipality of Famagusta in its effort to revive important events that took place in the city before 1974, such as the Orange Festival, the Anthesteria and the Cataclysm. By joint decision, the Municipality of Ayia Napa is proceeding with the co-organization - revival of the Orange Festival, next April 2026 in the Ayia Napa Municipal District.
In his statements, the Mayor of Ayia Napa, Mr. Christos Zannetou, expressed his particular joy for the meeting with the Mayor of Famagusta and his entourage, and as he said, "we decided together to support in practice the effort of the occupied Municipality of Famagusta to revive events that were a point of reference before 1974, and the Orange Festival, which will take place next April, will be the first step in this common path of ours."
"It is also our goal," he added, "to contribute in every way to the lively preservation of the morals and customs of Famagusta, to strengthen the collective memory and identity of the citizens of the occupied city, but also to cultivate even closer ties of cooperation between the Municipalities of our free province through cultural creation."
"This effort," he continued, "takes on particular importance in view of Cyprus' assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026. This period will bring to our country an increased number of visitors, European officials and international missions, giving us a unique opportunity to highlight the culture, history and identity of the occupied city of Famagusta through these events."
