EU announces additional financial aid for Cultural Heritage Technical Committee

The European Commission has signed a new delegation agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), providing an additional financial assistance of €2.5 million to support the work of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) for the years 2024-2026.

A Commission press release said on Friday that through the European Union Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, this new agreement will contribute to the EU’s efforts to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus by protecting, restoring and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the island.

As noted, since 2012, the European Union has been the major contributor to the work of the TCCH, with a total contribution of €27.5 million, demonstrating the strong commitment of the European Union to confidence building and reconciliation efforts in Cyprus. Through a long-standing partnership with UNDP, the TCCH has restored and conserved more than 130 cultural heritage sites across the island.

The 9th phase of the project will continue to involve the younger generations in the work of the TCCH, through the Heritage Youth Ambassadors initiative aiming at building the next generation of custodians for Cyprus’s shared cultural heritage.

According to the Commission “the Digital Preservation and Online Accessibility of Cultural Heritage through digitisation of restored and conserved sites will continue during this phase with additional virtual tours and 3D reconstructions.”

The European Commission supports the work of the TCCH in protecting and safeguarding the diversity of cultural heritage of Cyprus and in raising the public awareness on the role that heritage plays in peace building. It is with these guiding principles in mind that the European Union has been funding cultural heritage in Cyprus and it will be proud to continue this important support, it concludes.