Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage continue with safeguarding efforts during lockdown

May 11, 2020

Nicosia, 11 May 2020 -  The co-chairs of the Technical Committee Mr Ali Tuncay and Mr Takis Hadjidemetriou, today issued the following joint statement:

The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage during these challenging times has continued its regular weekly meetings though teleconferencing to review priorities and future activities. On behalf of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage we have continued honouring our mandate whilst at the same time ensuring that we fully adhere to the lockdown restrictions. Over the coming weeks in accordance with the lifting of applicable restrictions, we will be overseeing the safe resumption of works/efforts at 10 cultural heritage sites across Cyprus by implementing the required safety measures and will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH), with funding mainly from the EU and technical support from UNDP, has continued to work diligently throughout the lockdown to safeguard the island’s cultural heritage.  The members of the bi- communal Technical Committee and the Advisory Board have continued to meet remotely and have adapted their working practices to comply with the Covid-19 measures in both communities. Additionally, the TCCH and UNDP, launched the procurement processes for conservation designs for seven (7) mosques in the Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca areas and improvement and conservation works for two (2) churches including the 2nd phase for Apostolos Andreas Monastery.

In addition, the TCCH, the EC and UNDP prioritised efforts to engage communities in their work by re-connecting with the Heritage Youth Ambassadors (HYA) through an online training workshop. The HYA were selected by the TCCH through an open competition last year and are mandated by the committee to reach out to and engage with other young people of Cyprus by promoting cultural heritage sites and monuments to their networks, and acting as unofficial guardians of selected monuments.

Since 2011, 55 cultural heritage sites of various sizes have been conserved, structurally supported, physically protected or restored across Cyprus by the TCCH with funding mainly from the EU and with technical support from UNDP. 

For further information and media enquiries please contact UNDP at: media.cy@undp.org or Tel. +357 22874733 or +90392 2200027.