Cyprus: 2 miljoen euro beschikbaar voor een project om cultureel erfgoed te bewaren (en)

Brussels, 08 May 2012 - The European Commission has launched a two million euro project to preserve the cultural heritage in Cyprus. The project is part of the European Commission's aid programme for the Turkish Cypriot community.

Commenting on the start of the project, EU Commissioner Stefan Füle said: ''I believe this new project will help preserve the island's cultural heritage and will foster trust and reconciliation in Cyprus. Cooperation and joint efforts by all communities will be necessary to make this pilot project a success.''

The EU contribution will allow carrying out emergency support works on six sites, including the Othello Tower in Famagusta. The sites are part of a list of eleven cultural heritage sites of great importance identified by the bi-communal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage. The committee selected the sites based on an in-depth study carried out in 2010, which established an inventory of cultural heritage sites on the island.

At the end of the project, five of the six sites will be safeguarded to avoid further decline. The sixth site, the Othello Tower in Famagusta, will be ready to be reopened to the public. The works will be implemented by United Nations Development Programme's Partnership for the Future, in collaboration with the Advisory Board of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage.