By Peter Stevenson
A FIVE-member committee from Europa Nostra, the voice of cultural heritage in Europe, has visited Cyprus to put the final touches to a project that will see the preservation and restoration of buildings within the buffer zone in Nicosia.
The buffer zone was chosen along with six other endangered monuments and sites in Europe which were deemed as meeting Europa Nostra’s criteria to make up ‘The Seven Most Endangered’.
The sites include the Roman Amphitheatre of Durrës in Albania, Vauban’s 17th Century Fortifications in Briançon in France, the Renaissance Monastery of San Benedetto Po in Italy, the 15th Century Monastery in Setúbal in Portugal, the historic mining landscape of Rosia Montana in Romania and the Armenian Church of St. George in Mardin in Turkey.
“We feel that plans to restore buildings in the buffer zone will help build confidence between the two sides and although our plans are not dependant on a solution to the Cyprus problem, it is a means of moving closer to a solution,” executive vice-head of Europa Nostra, John Sell said.
He added that both the mayor of Nicosia Constantinos Yiorkadjis and the mayor of occupied Nicosia Kadri Fellahoglu both showed willingness in a meeting earlier this week.
Sell paid tribute to the municipality officials who have already prepared plans for the restoration or stabilisation of buildings.
“This had made our job easier and meant we can concentrate on formulating attractive packages and projects for possible investors whether that is from the EU or private companies,” he added.
Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute, the founding partners for the programme, will undertake rescue missions to these heritage sites. Experts appointed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), an associate partner, will provide analysis and advice on how funding could be obtained through European Union funds or in appropriate cases, loans. The initial rescue action plans will be presented at the European Heritage Policy Conference in Brussels on December 5.
Sell said he hoped that once final plans were in place, which would be submitted in around four to six months, the ‘stitching’ process which would unite both sides and have a positive impact could begin.
“The criteria each place needed to fulfil were if they were a significant location, if the danger posed by the collapse of buildings was tangible and if a realistic solution was possible,” Sell said. “The buffer zone in Nicosia met all of the criteria and we are confident in succeeding in finding funding following positive talks with both mayors.”
Buildings will be restored or stabilised according to each case, Sell added, but nothing new will be built as it is not needed.
