The strong cultural ties between Cyprus and France were confirmed in a meeting between the Deputy Minister of Culture Vasiliki Kassianidou and French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, a press release issued on Saturday by the Deputy Ministry said.
The meeting took place in Paris, during Kassianidou’s working visit.
Dati expressed her gratitude to Kassianidou for supporting her initiative to promote European cinema, on the occasion of the 78th Cannes Film Festival through a joint statement signed by the EU Ministers of Culture, calling for the strengthening of the European film and audiovisual industry.
The meeting highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the Department of Antiquities and the French archaeological missions in Cyprus and discussed ways to further strengthen it.
Reference was also made to Cyprus’ participation in the International Francophonie Association as well as to Cypriot artists who studied or work in France.
The Deputy Minister of Culture referred to Cyprus’ priorities for the upcoming Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026.
During her visit, Kassianidou, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to France, Pavlos Kompos, and the Director of the Department of Contemporary Culture, Ioanna Hadjicosti, also had contacts with important cultural institutions.
They met, in particular, with the President of the National Library, Gilles Pécout, at the Bibliothèque nationale de France Richelieu and Matthias Grolier, Director of the Office of the President and Director of the Louvre Museum.
On the sidelines of her visit, Dr. Kassianidou attended the award ceremony of the “Prix de la Fondation Stéphane Bern pour le Patrimoine” 2025, at the Institut de France.
The Stéphane Bern Foundation awards each year the best research and book published in French, related to history and tradition. The award was presented by the First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron.
Cyprus Deputy Minister also attended the opening ceremony of the 7th International Handicrafts Biennale “Révélations” which is currently taking place at the Grand Palais and in which the Cyprus Handicrafts Service of the Deputy Ministry is participating.
Dr. Savvas Christodoulides is the curator of the Cyprus Pavilion.
Cyprus is participating this year with the visual artists Elena Adamou, Theodoulos Gregoriou, Ioanna Louka and Lefteris Eleftheriou Tapas, who use weaving and embroidery techniques to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of art.
The inauguration was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic in Paris, Pavlos Kombos, the Deputy Minister of Culture of Greece, Iason Fotilas, the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic in Paris, Antonis Alexandrides, the Permanent Representative of Greece to UNESCO, Georgios Koumoutsakos, Evagoras Mavrommatis, as well as other members of the Greek and Cypriot Community in France.
During her working visit the Deputy Minister also participated in a Symposium titled “Towards a European Strategy for Crafts” during which the renewed Manifesto for Crafts in Europe was promoted.
In her intervention at the symposium, organized by the European Craft Alliance and the Ateliers d’Art de France, she referred to the crucial role of the Cyprus Handicraft Service as a custodian of intangible cultural heritage, as well as the significant support and promotion of contemporary craftsmen it provides.