Our goal is a culture open to all, the new Deputy Minister of Culture, Clea Hadjistephanou Papaellina said, during the handover ceremony, on Thursday, at the Deputy Ministry of Culture, in Nicosia.
Papaellina thanked the President of the Republic for his trust in her, noting that “culture is the foundation of the identity, history and creative perspective of our country and it is a special honour to be called to serve this very important sector”.
She also warmly thanked the outgoing Deputy Minister, Vasiliki Kassianidou, for her contribution, dedication and work during her term. ‘Every effort that strengthens culture, supports creative people and highlights our cultural heritage is a valuable legacy for the future,’ Papaellina stressed.
‘This transition builds on what has already been done. It marks the continuation of a collective effort so that with vision, consistency and cooperation we can bring results,’ the new Deputy Minister of Culture said.
‘Culture is the expression of the soul of people, the bridge that connects the past with the present and the future, the force that cultivates creativity, dialogue and the cohesion of our society,’ she pointed out. ‘Above all, it is our identity. What characterizes us today and defines us tomorrow,’ she added.
Papaellina underlined that ‘our goal is a culture open to all, a culture that embraces every creator, supports artistic expression, highlights our cultural heritage and creates opportunities for new generations to express themselves, create and actively participate’.
‘Culture functions as a force for extroversion, social cohesion and development, promoting our country internationally’, she said, pointing out that ‘the protection and promotion of the culture of Cyprus at home and abroad is part of the struggle for the national survival of our homeland’.
Noting that the success of this effort requires collaboration, the new Deputy Minister of Culture called on all creators, artists, cultural institutions, local governments, the academic community and every entity that serves culture, ‘to work together in a spirit of trust and a common vision.’
Clea Hadjistephanou Papaellina promised to serve this mission with responsibility, transparency, hard work and respect for all.
She also expressed certainty that “with collective effort, we can further strengthen the role of culture in our society and create the conditions for the cultural creation of Cyprus to continue to inspire, evolve and be distinguished.”
On her part, the outgoing Deputy Minister of Culture, Vasiliki Kassianidou, expressed her warm thanks to the President of the Republic of Cyprus for his trust, as well as to her colleagues and the staff of the Deputy Ministry. ‘What we have achieved in these three years was the result of a collective effort and a common belief that culture deserves to be at the core of public policy,’ she pointed out.
‘When I took office in the summer of 2023, I took over a newly established Deputy Ministry, which was still in the phase of its organisational formation and which lacked a comprehensive strategic orientation,’ she noted. ‘Today, three years later, I believe that the Deputy Ministry of Culture now has stronger structures, a clear strategy and concrete prospects for the future,’ she added.
‘Our priority was to create the necessary administrative structures and to outline a coherent cultural policy with clear objectives. That is, the support of contemporary creation and the creators themselves, the promotion of their work to a wider audience, the protection and promotion of our cultural heritage, the strengthening of cultural education and the international promotion of Cyprus’, stressed Kassianidou.
‘We opened the Deputy Ministry so that everyone can express their opinion and their ideas. Despite our low budget, we strengthened the sponsorship programmes, we established new ways of supporting creators and cultural institutions’, she said.
She also pointed out that the construction of the new Cyprus Archaeological Museum, the upgrading of infrastructure at important archaeological sites, the modernization of archaeological museums, the upgrading of the Cyprus Handicraft Service and the initiation of the construction of a building for the State Archives ‘are projects that will serve the place for many decades, protecting historical memory, strengthening research and creating new development opportunities.’
‘The repatriation of hundreds of antiquities and our international collaborations to combat the illegal trafficking of cultural goods were also important. Such actions are gaining greater importance for our country, whose cultural heritage has been plundered after the Turkish invasion,’ she emphasised.
‘Through the ”Schools Ambassadors of Culture – Children Ambassadors of Culture” programme, we attempted to build a new relationship between children and culture and artistic creation and to show that cultural education can shape active citizens with a deeper knowledge of the history of their country,’ she noted.
At the same time, Vasiliki Kassianidou pointed out that culture ‘is the most powerful form of international diplomacy that a small country has’ and ‘our best defence.’ To this end, she continued, ‘we utilised the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which has just ended, to present our ancient and modern civilisation internationally, with actions that left a strong mark and strengthened our country’s presence in the European space.’
In the context of the presidency of the European Union, she said, ‘Cyprus’ contribution to the formation of the new Agora EU programme and the ”Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe” Declaration confirmed that even a small state can substantially influence European policies when it has a plan, consistency and credibility.’
‘These are substantial legacies, as for the first time culture is recognised with these programmes as a priority in European Union policies. Cyprus did not limit itself to the role of observer but actively contributed to the formation of this new European perception,’ emphasised the outgoing Deputy Minister of Culture.
Referring to the bill on the Status of the Artist, she said that this is now at a mature stage, expressing hope that it will be completed soon, as well as that the major infrastructure projects that were launched during this period will be completed.
Vasiliki Kassianidou further stated that she is leaving with the conviction that the Deputy Ministry of Culture has now acquired institutional maturity, a clear orientation and international prestige and credibility. ‘Most importantly, however, it has acquired a clear mission: to serve culture not as a luxury, but as a foundation of democracy, social cohesion and solidarity, education and development,’ she stressed, expressing gratitude for being given the opportunity to serve this mission.
At the same time, she stressed that ‘culture needs financial support, and it will be able to offer even more to society if the budget of the Deputy Ministry of Culture is increased,’ expressing hope that this will happen soon.
In closing, she expressed appreciation and gratitude to all members of the Cabinet for the close cooperation and wished every success to the new Deputy Minister of Culture, expressing the belief that her successor “will work hard so that culture continues to occupy the position it deserves in the developmental and European course of the Republic of Cyprus’.
CNA/PH/GV/2026S, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY