The work of the Intercommunity Commission for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and its previous leaders certainly does not need my confirmation of their good work. I have written many times about the importance and value I personally place on memory, especially when things are at a standstill. It almost revitalizes it, although I’m not sure it brings them back to life. Nevertheless, it keeps these connections alive in the mind.
The Intercommunity Commission for the Protection of Cultural Heritage has an important task before it, and what it has accomplished is commendable, given the numerous, sometimes insurmountable, difficulties it faces. The obstacles are numerous and it requires considerable effort.
Having traveled to many villages and towns in occupied Cyprus, I have witnessed how easily any trace of past existence disappears overnight. The environment and place can be changed so radically that it no longer resembles what it once was. The situation is not easy, and time and people often complicate cases that seem resolved.
One such problem is that of the Apostle Andreas, who plans to establish a Muslim place of prayer in the monastery courtyard. This is undoubtedly not a question to be taken lightly, neither by us nor by our politicians. This is certainly not suitable for petty politics, mainly because it risks leading us down dangerous paths from which we may not be able to escape, and then all our objectives could be lost.
The Apostle Andreas Monastery in Karpasia is a monument that deserves universal protection, both for its historical value and as an important place of Cypriot heritage, where in the past Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots came together during the festivities and determined their daily lives. and social relations within transactions. The Apostle Andreas must not be and must not become a ground for political maneuvering, even if we feel, perhaps rightly so, that our side is provoked. It is essential to know what we want to achieve in unique and politically difficult circumstances. What is our goal and where do we want to end up? I think the actions that need to be taken each time are surgical to save a monument on both sides of the dividing line.
The balances to be maintained are so delicate that a single sentence could destroy what has been built for months. Things are not easy, the challenges are numerous and not all of them are visible to the naked eye. It is therefore vital to understand the transformation of the character of place, the exploitation of religion, and whether the Machiavellian dictum “People offend out of fear or hatred” is true. The Intercommunity Commission for the Protection of Cultural Heritage is working to erase these two words, fear and hatred, from collective memory, and it is certain that this is not an easy task, practically and psychologically.
(This article has been translated from its original Greek)
