The government aims to “further implement measures which will strengthen young people’s access to culture”, deputy culture minister Vasiliki Kassianidou said on Sunday.

Speaking at the Mountain Fest in the village of Agros, she said that for this reason, “we are starting a circle of contacts with organised groups and youth agencies which will act as focus groups and help us understand young people’s needs.”

This, she said, will allow the government to take “targeted actions” with the aim of “developing more effective programmes by young people for young people”.

An example of this work, she said, is the Youth Culture Card, which was brought into force in December last year and allows 18-year-olds access to €220 worth of credit to spend on attending cultural events.

She said the card is currently operating “on a pilot basis”, with the eventual aim of “evolving and improving” it, and also expanding its upper age limit to 21.

This, she said, will “offer even more to our culture and to young people”.

She went on to say that the government “is investing in young people by connecting, empowering, and involving them”.

She said this is being done “through educational policies which promote cultural programmes in schools and universities, through initiatives to finance young artists and creators, through programmes to promote cultural diversity, and, at the same time, by taking measures to protect, to allow access to, and to disseminate cultural heritage.”

“At the same time, we are actively supporting the holding of cultural events, festivals, concerts, and other activities which attract young people and encourage them to participate in the local cultural scene,” she said.

In this regard, she spoke of the government’s “cultural decentralisation” plan, which supports cultural events being held outside urban centres.

She said this allows people living far from Cyprus’ cities and large towns the chance to “explore various cultural events”.