Restoration works in more than 70 cemeteries in Cyprustranslated

Respect for the dead is an essential condition in order to build the climate of trust required in order to co-shape a common future of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, said the co-chairman of the Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage, Sotos Ktoris, noting at the same time that restoration work is underway in more than 70 cemeteries throughout Cyprus. In his post on Facebook, Mr. Ktoris states that the cemeteries are "victims of fanaticism, vandalism and the relentless wear and tear of time".

Today, he adds, "we're trying to reverse that course" and explains that with the active involvement of communities, perimeter walls are being restored, decades-old vegetation is being removed, and crosses or Muslim tombstones and other funerary elements that have been damaged or lost are being reinstalled.

"The restoration of the cemeteries is, above all, an act of respect for the memory and human dignity of the people of this place, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots", he says, noting that "at the same time, it contributes to the restoration of identity and historical...