Restoration works have been completed at two churches in Turkish-occupied Karavas, nameley Agia Irini and Agios Georgios in the Mezere area.
According to Sotos Ktoris, Co-chair of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, the Church of Agia Irini is one of the three parish churches in Karavas. Dating back to the early 19th century, it remains a living part of the area’s history and collective memory.
In a post, he noted that Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot architects, engineers and conservators worked together on the project. Funding was provided by the EU and the residents of Karavas, while the works were carried out under the technical supervision of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Regarding the Church of Agios Georgios in Mezere, Ktoris said that the historic church, built in the mid-19th century on the site of an earlier monastery, is an integral part of Karavas’ history and collective memory.
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot architects, engineers and conservators also worked together on this project. The works were funded by the EU and the community and carried out under the technical supervision of the UNDP.
Ktoris also referred to the cemetery in Kalopsida, which was restored and cared for by members of the community.
“Every cemetery that is restored is a debt owed to those who have passed away, an act of respect for those who remember them, and a small but meaningful contribution to building trust and reconciliation in our land,” he noted.