The Mayor and The
Members of
The Municipal Council
The Limassol
Municipality acting as
a Town Planning
Authority
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
The Limassol Municipality has become very active especially over the last years with the intention to upgrade the cultural activity of the town so that it may become again the cultural capital of Cyprus.
It is worth mentioning that for the first time in the
history of the Limassol Municipality the Cultural Committee gave the right
of participation and vote to a couple of persons who belong to the
Coordination Council of the cluster of the Limassol Cultural Vehicles.
Over the last years the Cultural Committee of the Limassol Municipality
has developed among others the following activities:
Cultural activity points
Solona Michaelides’ archives
A building under construction at the back of the Papadakio Municipal
Conservatoire is designed to shelter the legacy of Solonas Michaelides. It
is expected that during 2000 the classification and installation of the
Solonas Michaelides’ archives will be completed.
Cyprus Theatre Museum
The Limassol Municipality has decided to create the Cyprus Theatre Museum
in co-operation with the Cyprus Theatre Organisation lying upon the legacy
of Nicos Nicolaides assigned to the Limassol Municipality. Besides, the
archives of the Cyprus Theatre Organisation and the Free Theatres in
Cyprus have been added to this. It is recently decided that the Pavlides
neo classical building could shelter the Museum and an architectural
office has been entrusted the task to work out the designs for its
restoration.
Folk Art Museum
The Municipality looks after to enriching the Folk Art Museum constantly
by adding new exhibition patterns so that a representative image of the
early 19th and 20th century Folk Art and Tradition may be given. The
Museum will be extended to the upper floor where the Cyprus Theatre Museum
is temporarily sheltered.
University / High Level Faculties
The Limassol Municipality persists in making representations to the
competent organs of the State steadily with the purpose to have, in fact,
a second university or faculties founded in our town.
At the same time, it keeps on attempting to claim a participation share in
the efforts deployed with a view to create further High Level Faculties
like the Conservatoire.
Cultural activity
Wine Festival
The Limassol Municipality has over the last three years made great efforts
aiming at upgrading the Wine Festival, one of the most important world
famous folk festivities in Cyprus with:
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A procession dedicated to Dionysus on the first day of the festival
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The installation of a permanent lighting at the Municipal Garden
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Setting up standards for the kiosk mounting, the play staging and other event organising
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The surrounding decoration and the artistic groups formed in such a way as to comply with the environment and the festival’s theme.
Carnival
It is a great festivity spread in Cyprus and it is identified with
Limassol. A number of important innovations have been introduced over the
last three years aiming at strengthening its folk and festive character.
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The Child Carnival Parade has been organised in the Tsirion stadium, walking through the coastal streets of Limassol (earth fill) in an effort to bring the carnival festivities to the town centre
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Organising at least one event per day in various squares and or other spots of the city centre; the conclusion of all is the big parade during which the same music is played along the route.
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At the same time, the participation of a big number of disguised people walking along has been encouraged and achieved
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Besides, the Shrove Tuesday dance has been institutionalised. This dance is organised in the Medieval Castle where a great festive event is held and all the citizens are invited, with music, dance and fireworks. An effort has been made with the purpose to increasing the number of such events, resulting to organising a second open dance at the Heron Square.
The Flood
The Limassol Municipality has increased the budget in relation with the
Flood festivity, aiming at upgrading and strengthening the cultural
activities included. It is also suggested that the festivity takes place
at the west side of the earth fill following the completion of the works
at the big dock.
Summer Events
The Municipality has deployed significant efforts to upgrade the summer
events aiming at offering alternatives in relation with those offered by
the private vehicles. Many theme events have been organised aiming at
promoting and projecting the local artistic creative spirit. Therefore, a
new image of these events organised at many spots of the city centre has
been observed: e.g. Medieval Castle, Municipal Theatre, Municipal Gallery,
coastal earth fill etc.
Sculpture Park
Today this place has been transformed into a Sculpture Park as a result of
the Sculpture Symposium organised at the coastal earth fill and the
permanent erection of Art works, making therefore these works part of the
citizen’s life.
In 1999 summer a number of summer events about the theme “Sister Towns”
have also been held with the participation of artistic groups from twinned
towns with Limassol.
At the same time, a Sculpture Symposium has been held; it is considered
the biggest conjectural event in our town. Eminent artists from the sister
towns of Salonica, Ioannina, Zakynthos and from other towns in Cyprus
participated.
Another important achievement for our town is the reestablishment of the “Limassol Philarmonic Orchestra”. The “Limassol Philarmonic Orchestra” is composed of all-aged musicians and participates in all the cultural events, which take place in Limassol. We aim at gaining again the first place enjoying the lost glamour we used to in this field.
Municipal Conservatoire
The Municipal Conservatoire is a high-level music school and a new artist hotbed in our place, especially in the field of stringed instruments teaching.
The Municipality aims at upgrading it constantly aiming ultimately at making it a high-level school; it therefore makes intense efforts towards this direction.
Municipal Library
The Municipal Library is a very important asset of the Municipality’s contribution in the cultural life and the education field in our town. The municipal library has recently been equipped with a fully computerized register system; it is enriched with worthy publications on a permanent basis. Special emphasis is laid on enriching the worthy Department containing remarkable items representing the Cypriot culture.
Lectures and Events
The Municipality has organised lectures on various topics and other cultural events with the co-operation of the Limassol Cultural Vehicles Co-ordinator Council like:
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A series of lectures dealing with “a cast of features from the Spiritual and Cultural Circles in Limassol”: The Limassol Municipality has inaugurated these lectures delivered on a monthly basis with a view to the public becoming familiar with the considerable work accomplished by eminent Limassolians in the field of letters, arts and civilisation in general.
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A series of events dealing with “The today’s Creators in Limassol”: The Limassol Municipality has inaugurated a series of events dealing with “The Today’s Creators in Limassol” aiming at presenting both their new and retrospective cultural and writing work.
A detailed list of events held is the following :
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An event dedicated to honour Evgenios Spatharis, the puppeteer (03 / 97)
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A tribute to the Cypriot national poet, Vassilis Michaelides, on the occasion of the 80 years from his death (07 / 97)
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An event dealing in general terms with “Limassol yesterday, today and tomorrow” concentrated on the “Limassol Carnival – History and perspectives” (02 / 98)
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A painting exhibition dealing with the “Old Limassol” presenting creations of members of the Union of the Self-educated Painters (07/97)
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“The Theatre of Zante dating back to the 17th century until today” (09/98)
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A retrospective exhibition of works by the Limassolian painter Takis Frangoudes (12/98 – 01/99). A section of events dealing with “Salonica Days in Limassol” (26/10 – 09/11/99) with the co-operation of RIALTO.
Renaissance Theatre Week
A week dedicated to the Greek Theatre in the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance Times with the participation of groups from Crete, Zante and
Cyprus.
Scientific Meeting
The Limassol Municipality has organised a Scientific Day dedicated to the
Limassolian scholar, Emilio Hourmouzio, with the participation of
remarkable researchers and men of letters from Cyprus and Greece.
The Mayor of Limassol Dr. Demetris Kontides with the Municipal Council have honoured the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Costi Stefanopoulo and the composer Mr. Mikis Theodorakis for their considerable contribution, during official ceremonies, As a mark of esteem, both above-mentioned eminent personalities have been declared Honorable Citizens of our town and given the golden key of Limassol.
Honourable Event
The Limassol Municipality has honoured the very first Mayor of the town Mr. Ploutis Servas during a prestigious ceremony.
Twinnings
The Limassol Municipality has already decided to promote the cultural exchanges and other activities among the twinning towns of Limassol and Zante and the imminently twinned town of Haifa. The Municipality aims at laying stress on such activities in future.
Conjectural activities
The Limassol Municipality has institutionalized the organization of a Pan Cyprian Thematic Exhibition, which is held each year in co-operation with the EKATE (Chamber of the Fine Arts). The following exhibitions have been organized:
- Mediterranean (1996)
- White – Blue (1997, among other summer events)
- Sea – Sky (1998, among other summer events)
- Dionysus – Ariadne (1999, within the framework of the Wine Festival)
Town decoration
Our town’s decoration has been upgraded and enriched considerably so that the respective atmosphere may be generated during the various festivities like Christmas, Easter, Wine Festival, and Carnival etc.
« Events » Information Bulletin
The monthly information bulletin known as “events”, which is brought out by the Municipality for a decade, has been upgraded considerably both in terms of style and context aiming at covering not only the cultural news but also and in general terms the work accomplished in the field of culture.
Municipality’s subsidies granted to Cultural Vehicles
The Limassol Municipality has offered an important part of its budget to reinforce and support the cultural vehicles of our town.
Besides, the Limassol Municipality is expected to shelter ETHAL in the Municipality’s modern premises in Franklin Roosevelt Avenue.
The Cultural Committee of the Limassol Municipality has during the current year co-operated with various cultural vehicles and embassies’ divisions with the purpose to organise significant cultural events in our town like the music and dance evenings.
The Limassol Municipality has contacted many agents and vehicles both in Cyprus and abroad, aiming at promoting the topics, which concern Limassol in all the fields; it has made an effort to elaborate its international relations with foreign representatives.
A great number of meetings and talks have been held towards this direction, with politicians and local agents (meetings at the informal council of Mayors level, meetings with party leaders and ministers, talks with deputies and participation in meetings of the parliament as well as meetings with the President of the Cyprus Republic). Formal and informal meetings have also been held with representatives of other countries, ambassadors, Mayors visiting Limassol and other foreign officials; Municipal representatives have similarly visited towns abroad.
Besides, the Limassol Municipality has over the last three years participated in many organizations and committees aiming at contributing to solving problems that affect our town and promoting issues of public interest.
The Limassol Municipality has developed many close relations with the European Union on the basis of the MEDCITIES, Mediterranean Cities’ program where it belongs. The Med cities network refers to environmental topics and the environmental action plan for the member cities has been approved based totally on it. The Limassol Municipality has within the framework of the MEDCITIES participated in a great number of seminars and meetings related to the protection of the environment and the sustainable development.
The following have been elaborated and brought into action according to the approved environmental program:
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The approval of the co-operation framework for the recycling of household disposal has been realized through contacts and by means of the LIFE program,
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The PLISE program has also been approved; it concerns the setting up of an information bureau to inform the citizens about environment topics. The Limassol Municipality organises visits to schools and lectures about various information issues aiming at ensuring the awareness of its citizens; it aims at duly informing the pubic beginning from the youngsters,
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A report dealing with the energy production out of “WASTE ENERGY STUDY” disposal has been accomplished and approved,
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The decision has been made about conducting a study and taking measures with respect to its implementation, dealing with the management and recycling of waste of hotel and other tourist units. The European Union has initially accepted the Municipality’s application to conduct a study related to the atmosphere pollution from vehicles’ fuel emission.