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Why culture in Cyprus matters

Cyprus

Chapeau : Professor Theoharis David FAIA, is an architect, educator and a member of the board of the Cyprus Cultural Foundation

Source : Culture Europe International (http://www.culture-europe-international.org)
01 49 40 72 46 - contact@culture-europe-international.org
2, rue de la Liberté, 93526 Saint-Denis cedex 02

Rubrique : Revue de presse

du 08/11/2009 00:00 au 08/02/2010 00:00
Paris 75007 France (Ile-de-France)



Texte : By THEOHARIS DAVID
The Cyprus Mail
Cyprus
August 30th, 2009
(extracts)

The detailed public presentation of the final design for the new Cyprus Cultural Centre in Nicosia in July, along with current reports in the local press bring into question whether and when this project should be built and have prompted me to write the following:

(...)I know of no major museum or cultural institution in the world where the culture of Cyprus is not represented or documented.(...)

We talk and read of an economic crisis, a recession in Cyprus and yet there seems to be little letup in the building of oversized houses and the compulsion to acquire the latest model luxury vehicles.(...)

But there is also in the Cyprus of today another crisis: the Diaspora of our most creative minds and their work, the ignorance about and lack of respect of the youth for their cultural heritage while being denied because of the inadequacy of cultural infrastructure, the best that Cypriot and international artists and the world have to offer.

Our youth have little choice but to retreat to the “culture” of their iPods and local shopping malls. Young Cypriot parents must ask themselves if they want to raise their children in a country where there are so few and inadequate spaces to experience great performances of all kinds, or for their sons and daughters one day to have an opportunity to develop and perform their own talent? Do they want them to grow up in a European capital where they cannot experience great examples of artistic achievement of the past and present, or looking to the future, perhaps have their Cypriot contemporaries experiencing theirs?

Yes, the building of sports facilities and a new national theatre are positive steps, but much more is needed without delay.

History has shown us that the Cypriot people will not only (...) survive but thrive and they will continue to do so if their culture in all its diverse forms and expressions is supported by homes (...) worthy of it. All of us who love Cyprus whether we were born here or elsewhere, must continue to work towards this end...

It is an insult to Cypriot creativity, past and present to have no national gallery to speak of, to have a Cyprus Museum that is an embarrassment and an affront to the treasures it holds and to have no cultural centre.

We say Cyprus has the last divided capital of Europe, Nicosia, a sad but true reality, should we allow the city to continue to also be the sole European capital without a cultural centre?

Yes, culture matters.

Date de publication : 08/11/2009


Période traitée : 2009-08-30
Mots-clés : THEOHARIS DAVID, Cyprus, Chypre, Cyprus Culture Centre, Nicosia, Cypriot artists, Cypriot creativity, Cyprus in Europe, Cyprus Museum, culture chypriote, artistes chypriotes
Inséré le : 08/11/2009 13:30