The closing ceremony
of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in Cyprus was honoured by the
presence of the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and
Youth Ján Figel. The event took place from December 1-7 in Nicosia, Limassol
and Pafos.
To prepare
the closing events, a promotional campaign took place. The 24th and
the 25th of November, all correspondence in Cyprus was stamped with
the logo of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008.
The 30th
of November the most popular newspaper circulated a special edition ‘´Telling
the story´´ with artists from different countries living and working in Cyprus.
All the
week before the events, press releases where sent and published in newspapers,
while presentations took place in the national radio and TV programmes. A radio
and TV spot also promoted the events.
The events
On
December 1st, the Commissioner gave a lecture at the University of Cyprus,
entitled "Intercultural Dialogue and cultural Policy in the European
Union", followed by a very interesting discussion. A classic concert was
offered to the public before the lecture. Then at Casteliotissa Hall (inside
the Venetian Walls, close to Pafos gate), the Art Exhibition with the prime awards
of the Pancyprian Art Competition "Weavings" took place. The
competition and the exhibition where organised in cooperation with E.KA.TE.,
the official organisation of Fine Arts in Cyprus. The Commissioner and the
Minister of Education and Culture awarded the first prices of the Competition.
Many people assisted to the event and enjoyed the visit of the exhibition,
under traditional music proposed by the "mandolinada" music group of
the Ayios Athanasios Gymnasium. After the cocktail, the ceremony continued
at the Pallas cinema theatre, closed to Casteliotissa, which opened its scene
again for the performance "Music dialogues continue…". The event,
organised in cooperation with the RIALTO Cultural Foundation and Nicosia
Municilapity, was also open to the public, who had the opportunity to listen to
traditional and modern music from Cyprus, the Middle East, the Balkans and the
Mediterranean areas, performed by professional musicians, coming from different
ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
The 2nd
of December, in Limassol, the event "Promoting interculturalism through
the Lifelong Learning Programme" took place at the Lanitis Cultural
Centre, organised in cooperation with the Foundation for the Management of
European Lifelong Learning Programmes. The event started with a music
performance offered by the Music Lyceum of Limassol and a theatre performance
"By the heart…" offered by the ZEP of Faneromeni, followed by eight
presentations from schools, universities and NGOs. The event included a very important
exhibition of 32 organisations (primary, secondary and vocational schools,
universities, NGOs) that had developed projects within the Comenius, Erasmus,
Leonardo Da Vinci and Grundtvig programmes, related to the European Year of
Intercultural Dialogue 2008. The exhibition was open until December 3rd.
Last but
not least, on December 5th the events were continued in Pafos, at
the new Cultural Centre entitled "Intercultural Dialogue: Respecting
Diversity". The event, which was organised in cooperation with the Representations
of the European Commission and the European Parliament in Cyprus, the Cyprus
Information Office and the Municipality of Pafos, included a cultural programme
(dance and music) from the 1st Pafos Lyceum, a keynote speech by Mr Panayiotis
Demetriou (Member of the European Parliament) and a public debate. The event
ended with the inauguration in Pafos of the Art Exhibition
"Weavings", organised with E.KA.TE., which was open to the public
until the December 7th.
All the
events were open to the public, promoted to schools and to the wider public
through the national media, while a great number of invitations were sent to
all ambassadors, NGOs, governmental and educational authorities.
The Year
was closed with two special editions of the famous cultural programme Periplous
on the national radio on December 31st and January 2nd,
during which artists, representatives from NGOs and schools were invited to
discuss on the impact of the Year and on new perspectives for intercultural
dialogue in Cyprus in the future.
(interculturaldialogue2008.eu)
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