The event ‘Rediscovering Cyprus: Digital Dialogues between History and Geography’ took place successfully on 20 October 2023 in Nicosia under the auspices of the University of Cyprus. Research programmes of the Sylvia Ioannou Foundation conducted in collaboration with the Department of Geography at Harokopio University, digital applications and educational books focussing on Cyprus were presented at the Learning Resource Centre ‘Stelios Ioannou’. The event was honoured with the presence of Lina Kassianidou, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, Yiannis Toumazis, former Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, and Theodora Raftopoulou, on behalf of the Embassy of Greece in Nicosia.

Welcome addresses were delivered by Elena Diomidi-Parpouna, Acting Library Director, on behalf of Tasos Christofides, Rector of the University of Cyprus; Mara Nikolaidou, Rector of Harokopio University; and Artemis Scutari, Chairperson of the Sylvia Ioannou Foundation.

During the inaugural speeches, Apostolos Sarris, Professor of the Sylvia Ioannou Foundation Chair in Digital Humanities (University of Cyprus), talked about the research and educational activities of the Chair, and Julia Chatzipanagioti-Sangmeister, Professor (University of Cyprus), presented the proceedings of the 4th International Conference of the Sylvia Ioannou Foundation entitled Textualising the Experience – Digitalising the Text: Cyprus through Travel Literature (15th-18th Centuries).

Afterwards, the web applications of the Sylvia Ioannou Foundation developed to date in collaboration with Harokopio University were presented by the supervisors of the research team: Christos Chalkias, Professor (Harokopio University), presented ‘The first triangulated survey of Cyprus by Kitchener (1878-1883)’ and ‘Representations of Cyprus’ and Antonis Hadjikyriacou, Assistant Professor (Panteion University), the ‘Ottoman Property Survey of Cyprus (1832/33)’.

Aiming at the free dissemination of knowledge, something that characterises the activities of the Sylvia Ioannou Foundation, the educational programmes ‘The River Speaks’ and ‘Flora Nostra’ have been developed. The related material and the digital educational application for smart mobile devices were presented by Evanthia (Evi) Tselika, Assistant Professor (University of Nicosia), and Despo Pasia, Museum & Art Educator.

The event was attended by academic staff, researchers, teachers, tour guides and post-graduate and undergraduate students, as well as individuals interested in the history and culture of Cyprus in general.