The visit, organized by the Slovak Embassy in Cyprus, began with the Othello Tower in the old town of Famagusta, where urgent restoration work will soon be completed, as the project is delivered on July 2nd. This was followed by a visit to the Monastery of the Apostle Barnabas, but also to the village of Stylloi.
"We are on a peaceful mission," said Famagusta Mayor Alexis Galanos, welcoming the participants, while speaking against the backdrop of the lion-emblem of the Most Peaceful Republic of Venice above the entrance to the Tower of Othello, expressed support for the efforts of / k leader Mustafa Akinci.
He said the two leaders are on the right track, but it is long and difficult. "We are here to support them, not for the sake of the past but for the sake of the future, for our children," he said, adding that all future generations want to live peacefully in a non-EU Cyprus. needs protectors.
Also present was the Turkish "Mayor" of Famagusta, Ismail Arter, who, speaking through an interpreter, said that similar events are useful for the implementation of joint efforts, at a time when the two leaders are in talks.
The Ambassador of Slovakia, Oxana Tomova, for her part encouraged all participants to work intensively for the common good of all Cypriots.
"At a time when Cypriots from both communities are inspired by the positive climate for a comprehensive settlement, our visit promotes the idea of peaceful co-operation," he said.
Representatives of the political parties then entered the Othello Tower, where maintenance work is underway, and were briefed by Titian Zennaro, UNDP-PFF Program Officer, on the progress of the work.
According to Ms. Zennaro, this is one of the largest projects undertaken by the Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage and implemented by the UNDP-PFF with EU funding. The total cost of the urgent restoration work amounts to 1,025 million euros. , including planning and supervision.
As the head of UNDP-PFF explained, this is not a complete restoration of the Tower, as such work would require much more funds. The purpose, he said, is to reopen the project to the public soon.
He also said that the work, which lasted about eleven months, will be completed by the end of June.
Ms. Zennaro also said that ten projects have been completed so far, including the Othello Tower, another three are in progress while many other projects are in the planning stage.
On behalf of the Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage, Glafkos Konstantinidis and Ali Tountzai referred to the restoration work, which they said is the result of hard work, but also the work culture developed by the members of the Technical Committee, and which is, according to them, an example for the whole of Cyprus.
The representatives of the parties in their statements referred to the importance of cultural heritage as a field of effective cooperation between the two communities.
DISY spokesman Foivos Nikolaidis said his party supports initiatives to reach a comprehensive solution by the two leaders, AKEL spokesman Christos Christofidis said the restoration of the Othello Tower is proof of what Cypriots can do. together, to add that "we need a solution like desert water".
Speaking on behalf of DIKO, Spyros Stefou said that the monuments of Cyprus belong to the world cultural heritage, while the representative of the United Democrats, Spyros Hadjigrigoriou, expressed the hope that Famagusta will soon regain its lost glory.
Representatives of the Republican Turkish Party, the Democratic Party, the New Cyprus Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Socialist Party and the United Cyprus Party were present on the Turkish side.
The representative of the National Unity Party, Ersan Saner, stood out, stating in his statements that he encourages the holding of similar events in different parts of Cyprus, so that the people understand the realities on the island.
The event was also welcomed by Alessandra Viezzer on behalf of the European Commission, expressing the Commission's support for Confidence Building Measures.
Finally, Michalis Loizidis on behalf of the Technical Committee for Environmental Issues said that the goal is to combine the efforts of his own sector with that of culture, as these are two areas that have to offer in building peace and reconciliation.
During the visit to the Tower of Othello, members of the bi-communal initiative for Famagusta were also present, expressing their support for the opening of the Deryneia roadblock and the hope that Varosia will open soon.
The members of the initiative also called on the two leaders to work to bring the besieged city of Famagusta under UNESCO protection, with Mayor Galanos adding that the measure is included in the Cypriot Government's proposals for the city.
The participants then walked to the old town of Famagusta, with the scattered Venetian and Ottoman monuments, the Orthodox and Latin churches, to go a little later to the area around the occupied Monastery of the Apostle Barnabas, which is used today as a "museum of icons".
The last part of the visit included a brief meeting with residents in the occupied village of Stylloi, in the presence of local "authorities" and the President of the Community Council of the village Michalakis Efstathiou, while participants had the opportunity to see up close the desolate church of the village, the Prophet Elias.
Source: KYPE / APE