Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, unveiled a plaque in Nicosia on Tuesday to celebrate the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award, won by the Home for Cooperation located in a historic building in the United Nations Buffer Zone.
Present at the event were the Vice Present of Europa Nostra Irina Subotic, Norwegian Ambassador Ingrid Schulerad, Mayor of Nicosia Yiorkadjis Constantine and the representative of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Harmanci.
All praised the work of the House of Cooperation.
Vice President of Europa Nostra Irina Subotic said the Home of Cooperation is a symbol for the great things cooperation can achieve and it requires people dedicated to create a strong unified community.
Both Yiorkadjis and Harmanci stressed the need for other old buildings in the UN controlled buffer zone, separating the northern Turkish occupied areas from the southern government controlled part of the country, to be renovated so as to preserve the architecture and to liven up the area.
Norwegian Ambassador Ingrid Schulerad agreed with Yiorkadjis and Harmanci and stressed the need for cooperation between the two sides, saying that peace and a solution to the Cyprus problem cannot come from abroad.
In her speech Vassiliou said initiatives like the Home of Cooperation transcend the specific references of their locality, they essentially contribute – in a small but significant way – to Europe`s deserved fame as a continent brimming with rich history and diverse culture – and as a continent of peace, dialogue and mutual trust and the award that the "Home for co-operation" received in Vienna last May was based on these grounds.
She congratulated the members of the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research on the great idea of creating a space for dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding between the two communities – an idea which indeed 10 years ago was nothing short of revolutionary.
The Jury, she said, saw in this building not only `a typical example of the 1950s architecture of Cyprus`, but also `a substantial contribution to the revitalization of Nicosia’s UN Dead Zone as well as to the wider peace making process`.
The European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage – Europa Nostra Awards, the Commissioner noted, is the most prestigious prize in the cultural heritage sector in Europe. It singles out and rewards the most inspiring examples in heritage conservation, research, dedicated service or education, training and awareness-raising.
“Cypriots should be proud that the Home for Cooperation is now among the awarded sites. Placing value to our shared heritage as Europeans is all the more important as the European Union is striving to reconnect with its past, to link it to the present, and to project a dynamic vision for the future through a new narrative, a new way of engaging its citizens. Artists, intellectuals, scientists and citizens recently presented `a New Narrative for Europe`, a text, a manifesto stressing that Europe is a "state of mind", which each one of us can shape and advance”, she stressed.
Europe’s heritage provides, so to speak, she said the missing link – for it creates a sense of belonging among and between European citizens.
“Our heritage is forged not only across generations, but also across communities and territories – something that carries a very special significance for a country like Cyprus. That is why the European Commission supports cultural heritage through its policies and programmes, such as Creative Europe; the EU Prize for cultural heritage/ Europa Nostra awards is just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond this initiative, we are determined to strengthen our support for cultural heritage, because we know how valuable it is for Europe – at economic, social, and individual level”, she concluded.
