In the coming weeks, the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) will oversee the resumption of works at 10 cultural heritage sites across Cyprus, in accordance with the lifting of applicable restrictions, Technical Committee Co-chairs Ali Tuncay and Takis Hadjidemetriou say in a joint statement, issued on Monday.
The TCCH and UNDP, launched the procurement processes for conservation designs for seven mosques in the Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca and improvement and conservation works for two churches including the 2nd phase for Apostolos Andreas Monastery, a relevant announcement says.
“The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage during these challenging times has continued its regular weekly meetings though teleconferencing to review priorities and future activities,” the statement reads.
Hadjidemetriou and Tuncay say moreover that they 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.”
According to the announcement, the 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, it is added.
Moreover, 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 announcement says.
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, the announcement concludes.
(CNA)
