Cypriots last in Europe for cultural interests

CYPRIOTS say they don’t have enough money, time or interest in cultural activities, according to a Eurostat report published yesterday.
The figures show that Cypriots were last on the list for visiting a public library in the last 12 months and second last out of the EU 27 for having read a book in the last year.

Cypriots also watched the least number of cultural programmes on television and were second to last when it came to visiting historical monuments and visiting museums.

Only ten per cent, the third lowest in the EU after Romania and Bulgaria, said they had been to a ballet or opera in the last 12 months.

Those polled cited as main reasons for their limited cultural activities the lack of economic resources, which close to ten per cent used as an excuse, while 52 per cent said they didn’t have time and 41 per cent expressed a lack of interest.

Greeks were also well down on the list, and close to the Cypriot figures, while the Danes and Finns were top of the lists.

Only 13 per cent of Cypriots had visited a public library compared to 72 per cent of Finns and 68 per cent of Danes. The EU average was 35 per cent.

Even with cinema, Cypriots were the sixth lowest on the list, along with most of the east European countries, with only 38 per cent having gone to the movies in the last year.

Over 50 per cent of Europeans had visited the cinema, with the Swedes topping the list at 71 per cent, followed by 66 per cent in Ireland.

One quarter of Cypriots have been to the theatre in the last year, compared to 32 per cent of other Europeans, including 58 per cent of Dutch nationals.

Two thirds of Cypriots did watch a cultural programme on television, but they were still second last in that category.

And 71 per cent of French people had read a book in the last 12 months, compared to 56 per cent of Cypriots, the second lowest after Portugal.

Swedes were the top readers with 87 per cent having read at least one book in the last year.