The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced Thursday the completion of the conservation works at the church of Panagia Chryseleousa in the occupied Kyrenia area and the church of Agios Antonios located in the occupied Morphou area. Kjartan Björnsson, Deputy Director and Head of the Cyprus Settlement Support Unit at the Directorate-General REFORM of the European Commission highlighted that 'these sites represent the rich cultural heritage of Cyprus, which the European Union will continue to support given the importance of protecting and restoring cultural sites to strengthen the resilience of communities, in an effort to contribute to reunification and sustainable peace in the island.' UNDP Cyprus, Head of Office Jakhongir Khaydarov, expressed his gratitude for the successful completion of the conservation works at the two churches. He emphasized that 'these projects mark a significant achievement in our continuous dedication to protecting Cyprus' invaluable cultural heritage. The conservation efforts undertaken serve as a testament to the significance of preserving our shared legacy for the benefit of generations to come'. Both the church of Panagia Chryseleousa and the church of Agios Antonios are important monuments for the history of Cyprus. The church of Panagia Chryseleousa was built towards the end of the 19th century. ?he church of Agios Antonios is dated from the 15th century and it was the main church of the village. Since 2012, 123 cultural heritage sites island-wide have been conserved, structurally supported, physically protected or restored by UNDP with financial support from the European Union worth a total of pound 24.915 million.

Source: Cyprus News Agency