Mayor of Nicosia hosts reception for Summit participants highlighting the city’s vital role for Europe’s shared history and common future

Participants in the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2026 gathered in Nicosia on the evening of 27 May for a Welcome Reception hosted by the Mayor of Nicosia, Mr Charalambos Prountzos. The reception took place in the beautiful setting of the recently restored Old Town Hall of Nicosia, situated on the historic D’Avila Bastion overlooking Eleftherias Square.

Located within the Venetian fortifications that have shaped Nicosia’s urban landscape for centuries, the Old Town Hall provided a fitting setting for an evening highlighting the city’s vital role for Europe’s shared history and common future.

The event offered a warm opportunity for local participants, heritage professionals, civic leaders, and cultural stakeholders from across Europe to meet and exchange views in an atmosphere that reflected the rich historical and cultural character of Cyprus’s capital city. The event included the presence of Mr Mehmet Harmanci, Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community of Nicosia.

Welcoming the guests, Mr Charalambos Prountzos highlighted the rich history of the Old Town Hall and the importance of cultural heritage as a driver of social cohesion, sustainable urban development and European solidarity.

“It is a pleasure to welcome you this evening to the historic heart of Nicosia. Here at the D’Avila Bastion, part of the magnificent Venetian walls that have embraced our city since the 16th century. These walls are the living memory of our city, built by the Venetians and named after the noble families who financed them. Each bastion tells a story of resilience, coexistence and continuity through centuries of history,” he said.

On this occasion Mr Prountzos launched a forceful appeal to the European Union Institutions and to Europe’s civil society to support a heritage-led regeneration of the old town of Nicosia which is surrounded by impressive Venetian walls.

The Mayor also emphasised Nicosia’s commitment to safeguarding its rich and diverse heritage in order to ensure their continued relevance for generations to come.

“Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century, possesses an exceptional architectural, cultural and historical heritage (…) Tonight we gather in the historical landmark, the Old Town Hall of Nicosia, which faithfully served the citizens of our capital for nearly 75 years. This building — standing between the past and the future — symbolizes what heritage truly means: not preserving monuments as relics, but giving them new life and new purpose for future generations.”

Androulla Vassiliou, Chair of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia, and Prof Dr Hermann Parzinger, Executive President of Europa Nostra, addressed the audience.

“The cultural heritage and the history of Nicosia have such potential. And we have to use this potential for a better world. There is no better place in the whole Mediterranean to know what ‘Mare Nostrum’ really means. From museums, to the city centre and to the historic buildings — the influences from the Neolithic Bronze Age to nowadays — all of these influences coming together create Cypriot culture,” stated the Executive President.

Prof Dr Hermann Parzinger also thanked Mr Mehmet Harmanci for his presence at the event, acknowledging that it had taken place during the Kurban Bayram holiday, the most sacred festival in the Islamic calendar, and added a few words of thanks in Turkish.

The Executive President of Europa Nostra presented Mr Charalambos Prountzos and Mr Mehmet Harmanci with a gift from Europa Nostra and the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia: the CD-book MARE NOSTRUM Orient-Occident: Dialogues (Montserrat Figueras, Lior Emaleh, Hespèrion XXI, Jordi Savall) devoted to Mediterranean civilisation, which invites readers/listeners to re-live and understand the key moments in our historical memory, thanks to the emotion and beauty of music, and in light of the reflections and commentaries of historians, philosophers, writers and poets.

Throughout the evening, participants enjoyed the opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new connections, while experiencing a wide array of regional cuisine and musical performances. The reception served as an inspiring opening to the programme of activities in Nicosia, underlining the city’s unique position as a crossroads of cultures and a living testament to Europe’s shared history and common future.