The Committee of Occupied Municipalities in Cyprus organized an event in Paris with a view to raise awareness on the destruction of the cultural heritage in Cyprus` Turkish occupied areas.
The event took place at the “House of Greece” on June 3, in cooperation with the Greek and Cypriot communities in France and the Embassy of Cyprus in Paris.
The Committee was represented by the Mayor of Kythrea Petros Kareklas and the Mayor of Akanthou Savas Savides who addressed the event.
According to a press release issued by the Committee, the “House of Greece” hosted a photo exhibition entitled “The destruction of European culture in Cyprus by Turkey. The tragedy goes on…”.
Moreover, prominent Cypriot academic Andreas Hadjisavas from occupied Lapithos, who lives and works in France, spoke about the destruction of the cultural heritage in Cyprus` occupied areas, while a film entitled “The destruction of our cultural heritage by Turkey” was projected.
On the occasion of their stay in Paris, the two Mayors had the opportunity to meet with the Mayor and the Vice-Mayor of the 9th arrondissement of Paris Delphine Burkli and Alexi Govciyan, whom they briefed about the situation in Cyprus, focusing on the destruction of its cultural heritage.
They also had a meeting with the Head of the Mediterranean Department at the French Foreign Ministry Pascal Vagogne, and informed him about the situation of the monuments in the occupied areas and efforts made by the bicommunal technical committee and the nine occupied municipalities to protect religious and archaeological sites which are ready to collapse.
They also referred to the environmental destruction of the occupied Pentadaktylos mountain and the occupied areas in general.