Bicommunal Heritage Work Preserves More Than 200 Cyprus Monuments

More than 200 monuments across Cyprus have been saved over the past 15 years through the work of the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, which has emerged as one of the most successful examples of cooperation between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

At a time when the Cyprus problem remains deadlocked politically, the committee continues to produce tangible results by restoring churches, mosques, monasteries, cemeteries and archaeological sites across the island.

Speaking to Politis, the committee's Greek Cypriot co-chair, Sotos Ktoris, discussed ongoing restoration projects, the nearing completion of the second phase of works at the Apostolos Andreas Monastery, and the broader message conveyed by the joint protection of Cyprus's cultural heritage.

Restoration work continues across the island

Mr Ktoris said the committee is currently implementing an extensive conservation programme covering churches, mosques and cemeteries throughout Cyprus.

Works are under way at the Apostolos Andreas Monastery, the churches of Agios Georgios in Vokolida, Panagia Faneromeni in Gastria, Agios Prokopios in Syngrasis, Apostolos Barnabas in Enkomi of Famagusta, Agia Eirini and Agios Georgios in Karavas, Agia Paraskevi in Palaiosofos, Timios Prodromos in Kalopsida, Agios Dimitrianos in Lapithos's Larnakas quarter, and Panagia Akentou together with the adjacent school in Lefka.

At the same time, conservation works are being carried out on the Lefka aqueducts and the mosque in Koilani, while restoration projects at the mosques of Pyrga and Kato Arodes are expected to begin in the coming days.

According to Mr Ktoris, planning for the coming months includes a significant number of churches, mosques and other historic sites that are currently either at the tender stage or undergoing architectural studies.

Apostolos Andreas enters its final phase

The second phase of the restoration of the Apostolos Andreas Monastery is now nearing completion and, barring unforeseen complications, is expected to conclude in September.

The project includes conservation of the medieval church situated on the lower part of the complex facing the sea, together with access routes and the surrounding area.

Works also cover the restoration of the sacred spring area and access to it, as well as the wing constructed in 1919 and designed by Theodoros Fotiadis.

The project further includes the restoration and reactivation of the monastery's octagonal reservoir, believed to date from around 1898, which is located at the centre of the complex.

In addition, maintenance and repair works are being carried out on parts of the monastery that were restored during the first phase of the project.

A model of practical cooperation

Asked whether the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage represents one of the most successful bicommunal initiatives, Mr Ktoris said its distinguishing feature is that it demonstrates practical and meaningful cooperation in a setting where the wounds of the past remain open and mistrust between the two communities persists.

He noted that for decades cultural heritage became an area of political confrontation, with each side blaming the other for the destruction or neglect of monuments.

"The committee opened a different path," he said.

"For the first time, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots chose to move away from confrontation and focus on saving monuments. They sat around the same table, discussed priorities together and made decisions through consensus and mutual respect."

During roughly 15 years of operation, the committee has contributed to the preservation of more than 200 monuments across Cyprus.

These include churches, monasteries, mosques, fortifications, aqueducts, archaeological sites and other monuments reflecting the island's long and multicultural history.

Alongside these projects, an extensive programme to restore and maintain both Christian and Muslim cemeteries is being implemented in close cooperation with local communities.

Heritage without distinctions

Asked whether there is balance between Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot and other categories of heritage sites included in the conservation programme, Mr Ktoris stressed that the committee treats all monuments with equal care and respect.

The objective, he said, is to ensure that projects respond to the needs of the cultural heritage of all communities in Cyprus.

He explained that selecting and prioritising individual projects involves a complex assessment process taking into account factors such as structural condition, cultural, archaeological and religious significance, importance to local identities, the maturity of technical studies and the availability of resources.

"For us, every monument is an integral piece of Cyprus's cultural heritage," he said.

"Whether it is a Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, Armenian, Maronite or Latin monument, our commitment is the same: to protect and preserve it for future generations without discrimination."

Beyond the preservation of monuments

Mr Ktoris argued that the significance of the committee's work extends well beyond the restoration of buildings.

For 15 years, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have worked together around a shared vision that all monuments on the island, regardless of their religious or ethnic origins, form part of a common cultural heritage.

According to him, the experience has demonstrated that sincere dialogue, mutual respect, understanding of the sensitivities of each community and a willingness to compromise can lead to meaningful cooperation even in difficult political circumstances.

The committee's work has also highlighted what he described as an undeniable historical reality that has faded from public consciousness following decades of division, particularly among younger generations.

"The history of this place is much more interconnected and multicultural than one-dimensional nationalist narratives often suggest," he said.

The monuments preserved by the committee serve as living testimony to centuries of coexistence, interaction and a shared historical journey.

"The same hands that restore churches and bell towers also restore mosques and minarets. That image perhaps captures the committee's message better than anything else."

 

A personal journey across Cyprus

Reflecting on his own experience, Mr Ktoris described his involvement in the committee as a profound and unique journey.

It gave him the opportunity to visit every corner of Cyprus and meet people from both communities who share a deep love for the island.

He spoke of meeting Turkish Cypriots concerned about the restoration of churches and Greek Cypriots who show the same respect and concern for mosques.

What moves him most, however, is seeing people return to their villages and encounter their church or mosque restored.

"At that moment, we realise that we are not only saving monuments. We are saving memories and part of the soul of this place."

These experiences, he said, have strengthened his conviction that Cyprus's future should not remain hostage to the legacy of intercommunal conflict but should instead be built on the equally real, though less frequently acknowledged, experience of coexistence.

Today, he said, he believes even more strongly that coexistence within a federal state inside the European Union represents the only way to overcome the divisions and traumas of the past while ensuring Cyprus remains the common homeland of future generations of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

Can technical committees influence the political process?

Mr Ktoris acknowledged that it would be naïve to claim that the work of technical committees alone can determine the course of efforts to solve the Cyprus issue.

The Cyprus problem remains a complex political issue with domestic and international dimensions, geopolitical implications and a heavy historical burden, he said.

The two communities also continue to disagree on both the desired form of a settlement and the methodology for restarting negotiations.

However, he argued that this does not diminish the political significance of the committees.

Their value lies in keeping channels of communication open, fostering cooperation and producing tangible results that benefit people on both sides.

While technical committees cannot replace political negotiations, they can help create the conditions that make a settlement more achievable by building trust, cultivating a culture of cooperation and demonstrating that collaboration can produce benefits for both communities.

"And that is far from insignificant," he said.

A message to the two leaders

Asked what message he would send to the two leaders based on his experience in the committee, Mr Ktoris said one lesson stands above all others.

"Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots may live separately today, but they cannot survive in the long term if they continue to follow separate paths."

He argued that the security and long-term survival of Greek Cypriots depends on the continued existence of Turkish Cypriots as a community with a distinct political and demographic identity.

Otherwise, he warned, northern Cyprus risks becoming permanently integrated into Turkey, with consequences for all Cypriots.

At the same time, he said, the survival of Turkish Cypriots as a distinct community depends on coexistence with Greek Cypriots within a common European state where they can safeguard their autonomy and identity free from dependency and domination.

Mr Ktoris said the two leaders belong to a new generation with an opportunity to move beyond the burdens of the past and chart a new course for Cyprus.

With vision, political courage and determination, he said, they can seek the convergences necessary to achieve a federal settlement.

"Time is not working in favour of reunification. Every lost opportunity makes it more difficult and brings permanent partition closer."

Such an outcome, he warned, would undermine the future of Cyprus and both communities.

"The cost of failure will be borne by future generations."