Nicosia achieved an important distinction as the prestigious travel magazine Lonely Planet highlights our capital as one of the top destinations for 2022.
Nicosia is among the best cities for a traveler to visit, according to the Lonely Planet edition “Best in Travel 2022”. The “brightest capital of Europe” is a multicultural city with a rich history and cultural heritage.
The coexistence of different cultures and the investment in the development of cultural activities, are elements that highlight the uniqueness of the city. That is why Nicosia was awarded in the “Community” category. According to the magazine, for this category, the cities that involve the local communities in the first line of their tourism initiatives were distinguished.
The good practice that put Nicosia on the list of Lonely Planet with the top destinations, is the Home of Cooperation with the program “United by Sound”. It is a unique socio-cultural center in the heart of Nicosia and is a living example of multi-community cooperation. Through its work “United by Sound”, the center connected the communities of Cyprus and encouraged dialogue through music with the online participation of 40 musicians from all over Cyprus to create the song “Time is Ripe”.
The Director of the Home of Cooperation, Lefki Lambrou, expressed her gratitude to Lonely Planet for the distinction and recognition of the project. As she said, “We are very happy that the Home of Cooperation and all those who participated in the United by Sound program put Nicosia on the list of top destinations in 2022. We will continue through our programs to contribute to strengthening the contact between people with different national, cultural and linguistic background, as well as the cultivation of intercultural dialogue and understanding, both in Cyprus and at European and global level “.
For his part, the President of Nicosia Tourism Board, Theodoros Kringou, stated that this is a positive and encouraging distinction for the capital and our province. We congratulate the “United by Sound” program that managed to put Nicosia in this important guide. As Nicosia Tourism Board, we will continue to help every cultural initiative that will promote Nicosia as a tourist destination “, noted Mr. Kringou.
Nicosia Tourism Board
Nicosia Tourism Board (NTB) is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 as part of the strategic planning of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. The purpose of NTB is the development and promotion of the city and the region of Nicosia and their transformation into a quality year-round tourist destination. To achieve its actions, NTB cooperates with various bodies at local, regional, and international level, both in the public and private sector. Its main pillars of activity are cultural and creative tourism, conference and business tourism, religious tourism, sports, and wellness tourism.
Home of Cooperation
The Home of Cooperation is a unique socio-cultural center in the heart of Nicosia. It is a living example of bi-communal cooperation, where citizens join forces to promote peace and intercultural dialogue.
The Home of Cooperation unites people, communities, roads and visions. It offers workplaces and opportunities to NGOs and individuals for the design and implementation of innovative programs. Today it has become a reference point, within the area controlled by the United Nations, despite the Ledra Palace Hotel. At the same time, it gives people the opportunity to meet and get to know each other.
www.home4cooperation.info
United by Sound – Time is Ripe
Since 2015, the United by Sound program has been expanding in content and format. One of the most successful programs in the participation of young people, it invests in the development of talents and in the creation of substantial collaborations between the musicians of the whole island, while at the same time it offers music evenings for everyone. The live concerts host musicians from all over the island, who have the opportunity to perform on the same stage for a multi-community audience.
Through this program a new group of 40 musicians was born called Island Seeds! In 2020, the Home of Cooperation released the song “The Time is Ripe” by Island Seeds, in Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot and English, promoting the message of peace and unity in Cyprus. The video clip is available on the Home of Cooperation YouTube channel, but also on the Spotify, iTunes and Band Camp platforms.
“The Time Is Ripe” defends the cooperation between the communities of Cyprus, just as their musical and cultural tradition have been integrated in the history of the island. The lyrics express their sentence in simple terms: Let us unite our voices. No theatrical aggression, no talkative academic speech. Just a fervent celebration of harmony and co-creation.