Mosque in South Cyprus restored
THE conservation efforts carried out at the Lefkara Hamidiye Mosque by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) have now been completed.
An event to mark the occasion was held recently, attended by the co-chairs of the TCCH and representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN’s Good Offices Mission in Cyprus and the European Commission.
During the event, TCCH cochair Ali Tuncay highlighted the collaborative efforts between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot experts in restoring the island’s monuments, emphasising the mutual benefits derived from such cooperation.
Tuncay urged the international community to support and enhance the working environment and cooperation of the TCCH.
He acknowledged the significant contributions of the UN and UNDP to the conservation work at the mosque, noting its crucial role in preserving the structural integrity, identity, and cultural significance of the Lefkara Hamidiye Mosque in the long term.
Providing technical insights about the mosque, Tuncay noted its origins in the Ottoman period, its unique architectural features reflecting Cyprus’s local style, and its historical and architectural importance dating between 1835 and 1883.
He also spoke about the mosque’s reconstruction after 1897, highlighting the addition of the octagonal minaret during the modern era and describing its architectural elements, including the closed courtyard, prayer area and roof structure.
Marcin Brauhoff, a senior European
Commission official, said in his speech: “The EU recognises the key role that cultural heritage plays in promoting peace and democracy by fostering tolerance, inclusive dialogue and mutual understanding.
“This is particularly relevant in the context of Cyprus where restoring and conserving these monuments is a tool for reconciliation and social cohesion that brings the communities back together as witnessed here today.”
Philippe Baudin-Auliac, senior political affairs officer of the UN Good Offices Mission in Cyprus said: “Today’s achievement will not only contribute to further strengthening Lefkara as an important location for cultural heritage tourism, [but] also sends a tangible positive signal to the rest of the island and beyond.”
He added: “Indeed, the restoration of numerous monuments by the TCCH greatly contributes to creating an atmosphere for building confidence and a culture of peace across the island.
“Also, the work of the TCCH is not taking place in a stand-alone fashion: it is part and parcel of the work carried out by all 12 technical committees established by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders actively working under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General Good Office mission.”
Jakhongir Khaydarov, head of UNDP Cyprus, said the “successful completion of the conservation efforts at the Hamidiye Mosque in Lefkara marks a pivotal moment in our dedicated mission to safeguard Cyprus’s invaluable cultural legacy”.
“In honouring this achievement, we underscore the profound importance of upholding the fundamental principles of the United Nations,” he stated.
“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to advancing cultural preservation as an indispensable pillar of sustainable development, fostering lasting peace and ensuring stability for generations to come, both within Cyprus and throughout the world.”
Sotos Ktoris, the Greek Cypriot co-chair of the TCCH, said in his address that the completion of the conservation works at Hamidiye Lefkara Mosque “underlines our strong belief that every monument, regardless of its origins, weaves into the fabric of our shared heritage, transcending communal and cultural divisions”.
Monuments should “not be seen as icons of strife and animosity” he said, but as a “testament of our common past and our shared heritage, as a legacy that belongs to all the inhabitants of this island”.