The European Commission has allocated an additional 2.5 million euros to the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage

The European Commission has signed a new agreement with the UN Development Programme, providing additional financial assistance of 2.5 million euros to support the work of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage for the period from 2024 to 2026.

According to the statement by the European Commission, the new agreement, signed within the framework of the European Union Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, will contribute to the EU's efforts to promote the reunification of Cyprus by protecting, restoring, and preserving cultural heritage on the island.

The statement notes that the European Union has demonstrated its commitment to efforts to build trust and reconciliation in Cyprus by allocating a total of 27.5 million euros since 2012.

To date, thanks to the partnership between the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and the UN Development Programme, over 130 cultural heritage sites have been restored across the island.

It is also noted that the new phase of the project will continue to engage the younger generation in this work through the "Young Heritage Ambassadors of Cyprus" initiative.

Work to ensure the digital preservation and online accessibility of cultural heritage by translating restored and protected areas into the digital environment will continue, with the addition of virtual tours and 3D reconstructions," the statement from the European Commission's Technical Committee on Culture said.