Symbols of Reconciliation in Kyrenia

Update 8/5

It took 39 years…but at last the church was ready. For years both Turkish and Greek Cypriot Kyrenians were dreaming of the reunion with plenty of Kyrenian spirit and humor! The date was chosen and everyone worked hard from both sides……and suddenly the denial!!! so painful and disappointment as deep as the Kyrenian blue sea. Perhaps a lesson for both sides….we have to try much harder, will do!! Glafkos Kariolou

A reconciliation vesper is programmed to take place in the city of Kyrenia next 6th of May 2013. Embraced as an opportunity for citizen-led initiative to reconcile with neighbors and neighborhoods in the ever pending wait for a return from exile.

Glafkos Kariolou (pictured left), is current mayor of the city of Kyrenia in exile and has subscribed to the idea supported by it’s citizens.

The petition comes at a timely moment at the end of the term of Cyprus Presidency  following advances in human rights discussions, which however for Kyrenia and other towns which have been occupied since 1974 – no clarity can be seen as to the possibilities for an effective allowance to  return. Although symbolically it would be for a church service and a chance to share typical festive sweets of easter – the logistics involved will prove to be challenging.

The petition which requires authorization by the UNFICYP has already been circulated among different entities for support. This idea of a ‘Vesper’ or an “evening for reflection”  has attracted support from different corners of Europe – a long awaited neglect to be remedied in 2013?

Only Time  and dedication will tell.

In the meantime and until preparations follow their course – we would like to add ourselves to the courageous call of Angelika Werthmann’s in her 1m speech for the European Parliament to also address the issue in the evident effort for reconciliation made by Kyrenians. Just as other citizens may be urging for reconciliation for Cyprus in other parts of the world

Reconciliation calls for Cyprus and support that reach beyond ethnicity, religion and creed – it’s an appeal for basic human rights and human sense.

Ceramics still a gateway to exploring Cyprus Culture

Medieval Ceramics in their Wider Context Cyprus

Cyprus explored through Ceramics
This symposium should provide a stimulus for all, discovering new keys of Ceramics so as to encourage more communication and cooperation in the further development and understanding of this artisan form in Cyprus

Leventis Foundation, Nicosia,  May 10-12th 

 

Cyprus history archive now available online

Reblogged from The Peace Exchange:

Crossposted from Voices from Eurasia Blog, check out what Pembe Mentesh wrote!

The Cyprus Critical History Archive gives access to digitized articles relating to intercommunal relations in Cyprus I’m pleased to announce that you can now browse a new online database – the Cyprus Critical History Archive - for Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot newspaper articles on inter-communal relations and conflict-related violence during 1955 and 1964…

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Good news never comes alone

Reblogged from Travel Freely:

Warmth, Generosity and Hospitality

Yes, you've guested it. Easter in Cyprus.

And there isn't any other season, no other singular event  which embodies better these 3 ingredients for those vital and indispensable moments of bliss.

We live this unique moment, as a time to assert our readiness and express the desire to meet you halfway in creating vital experiences for yours to treasure*

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Remembering Sylvie’s passage across the Green line 10 years ago

A personal account and first hand witness of the days when the border crossings opened the possibility for renewing with a lost territory. Sylvie participates in the preparations and rush to cross the border with her local friends 10 years ago.

The Beginning

26th April 2003 was the third day of the border opening between the occupied and unoccupied parts of Cyprus. Almost 29 years ago, in August 1974, Turkish troops invaded northern Cyprus. Since that time the island has been divided by the Green Line, a strip of wasteland running coast to coast from east to west. The division of the island has been maintained by the UN security forces and armed border guards from both sides of the line.

Meet me half way in Larnaka on the International Day of Monuments

Reblogged from Travel Freely:

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Do you know how the inside of the Larnaka Medieval Castle looks like?

Have you ever visited the ancient Kition or perhaps some of the archaeological treasures in the region such as Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement, Kalavasos-Tenta or the Royal Chapel in Pyrga?

Well, tomorrow you get the chance to visit these 5 sites freely.

The International Day of Monuments and Sites…

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The desire to meet you halfway in creating vital experiences

The Echo can be heard but it’s quite another reading freshly pressed account of vitality from a return visit to Cyprus.

Emma French Returns from Cyprus and admits “of course, there are purely pragmatic reasons to head to Cyprus. The current crisis has created an environment of good deals, and availability of accommodation is better and more diverse than you would expect over Easter and heading into the summer season. Put simply, Cyprus needs you”

More than a plea, we’d like to share with you

That we live this unique moment, as a time to assert our readiness and express the desire to meet you halfway in creating vital experiences for yours to treasure.

Diamantis – The world of Cyprus is here to stay

The permanent exhibition returns to stay at the Leventis Museum in Nicosia. After 37 years and many miles, “The World of Cyprus” Ο Κόσμος της Κύπρου by Adamantios Diamantis returns permanently in Cyprus.  Here ends one chapter and begin another.

Diamantis

It finally arrived a week ago, as announced by the the director of the Teloglion Foundation in Thessaloniki: ” The painting has arrived in Cyprus after a decision by the Teloglion Arts Foundation in Thessaloniki under an agreement with the Foundation A. C . Leventis exchanges of exhibitions, art and educational and research programs with the Leventis Gallery and the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia.”

The female face of sustainable development

Reblogged from Library of the European Parliament:

Whilst gender equality is an objective of sustainable development in its own right, it is also said to be one of the key enablers of sustainable economic growth and the Green Economy.

In search for the right balance between the three pillars of sustainable development, women face different challenges than men, including persisting gender gaps relative to their economic position and their dominant role in the care economy.

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One of the key enablers of sustainable economic growth and the Green Economy.

#Cyprus social mentions surpass the 1.000.000 mark in the eye of the storm

It’s to be thankful for the rock solid foundations of the island of Cyprus as it stood firm in the eye of the storm on Twitter last fortnight.

It’s undeniable that the most reliable medium and the most adapted for real-time control remained, even until today twitter.  We have much to be thankful for the tightly knit  group of journalists, economists, academics and knowledgeable observers that made sure the proper news and opinions were always rising to the top at all times ahead of the social media Tsunami.

customer service caught off-line – Source: Topsy Analytics/Twitter

The demand and need for real-time information was there for the financial sector – but how about for travelers?

All that said,  the bail-out information frenzy linked to Cyprus showed that critical information flowed much like a wave and quite distinct from other bubbles, this one has marked the beginning of a new era and exposes the true gaps of competency, transparency, credibility and sectorial representativity, as far as service sector is concerned, and quite devastating for the Cyprus Tourism sector in particular.

A clear distinction has yet to be made, and the events leading up to this day including the timid announcements published by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation,  are clear evidence that too few are riding any media wave of customer communication and service that will bear the weight of concerns of customers, in lieu of attending a stagnating real estate market and a burdened construction sector.

It was on March 15th that the news broke out spiking at 22.000 mentions/day from an average of 3.500 mentions/day – then up to 200.000/day past green monday.*

You can imagine the impact for travelers looking for reassurance, credible information and Cyprus Tourism representation.

Put in perspective of scale, It was only on the 28th of March, slightly 1.425.922 mentions later, that the Cyprus Hotel Association published it’s first Q/A to travelers on it’s website in the form of 8 point yes/no answers.

At the end of last week, it was ACTA that was publishing a Plea online (in the Showbiz section of Cyprus Weekly), about how the Central Bank should raise restrictions on capital movements for Cyprus Tourism Sector. Since then, ACTA hadn’t pronounced itself. Did this mean the banking bailout has not been a problem until now?  Is the crisis to hit the travel sector yet to come?

And only yesterday, after 1 million, eight hundred mentions (1.818.127) the Cyprus Airways Twitter Stream was publishing a return to normality of their operations.  Cyprus Airways Twitter profile had not communicated a single tweet during the whole crisis.  Total silence since the 16th of March.

ANNOUNCEMENT Cyprus Airways is operating as usual and all our flights are carried out according to schedule

— Cyprus Airways (@Cyprus_Airways) April 9, 2013

More than ever, it’s the inexistant voice of the Tourism Industry that has been diluted to such insignificance that there exists no individual facebook, twitter or website presence that will ever be efficient to serve the needs of an adapting global industry.

And it’s even clearer that, no organisational gap to be filled, no promotional campaign to be executed, no minister of Energy tourism policy to be written, no digital training course to be taken,  that will be able to substitute the need for a comprehensive communication service that properly aligns with the nature of the modern traveler and how strategic the tourism sector has now become for the Island’s economic sustenance.

Welcome to the end of Tourism 1.0 in Cyprus.

@blogcyeuI suggest change and quality.Those who cannot deliver should be bypassed. Enough with incompetence and high jacking of #Cyprus

— Alexandra ATTALIDES (@AAttalides) March 28, 2013

*Data – analytics.topsy.com

The mysterious Miss Stott: a history

Reblogged from Ancient Cypriot art in Leeds:

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I have previously mentioned the intriguingly brief account in the 1920/21 report of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society of a gift to the Society’s Museum:

‘By the late Miss F.L. Stott, per Mrs M. Smith, Headingley: several Greek polychrome Lekythi, two-handled Vase, two-handled Cup, one-handled Skyphos, an Aryballos from Cyprus and several Egyptian bronze Figures, three Greek terra-cotta lamps.’

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