The establishment of a local initiative for the protection of a candidate Unesco monument and the challenging path of raising awareness for the European Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Our initiative was established in January 2017 with the purpose to protect a candidate UNESCO monument, the South Mathiatis Mine, since a mining company requested to re-start mining operations on site. The candidate monument in the mixed category of Natural and Cultural Landscape, combines a unique ecosystem with rare species of flora and fauna together with the evidence of the ancient and modern mining activity, which testify the long presence of human in the area. This site is an important part of the European History and furthermore an integral part of the human activity in the area from Prehistory until today. The European Heritage Days, taking place last October 2017, coincided with our struggle for protection of the historical mine. We seized the chance to organize a series of nine events- exhibition, lectures, presentations, tours- aiming to the promotion of the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area and raising awareness in matters of conservation and protection of the area. Our vision is to integrate and to create a system aiming to the promotion of all the important monuments of the area- mines of ancient and modern mining activity, geology, watermills and wells, religious monuments/ churches and mosque, waterbodies, Natura 2000 area- for touristic, educational, and sustainable purposes. Our proposal includes the detailed recording, protection, conservation and promotion of the natural and historical monuments of the area.
 

Cyprus is part of Europe and the European Union; its unique character constitutes a piece of the multiformity of Europe. By protecting and raising awareness of this important area, it is a way to preserve the Cypriot History itself.