Larnaka 2030 presented its logo and main directions
Larnaka, which was the first city in the race for the title of the European Capital of Culture 2030, presented on Sunday 2 April the visual identity and the main directions of its programme at a press conference attended by the Mayor of the city Andreas Vyras, the President of Larnaka 2030 Dinos Lefkaritis and the key executives of the company, the General Manager Spiros Pisinos and the Artistic Director Kelly Diapouli.
Both the Mayor and the President of the organization pointed out that all the forces of the city - the business community, the Municipality, the educational community, artists and cultural institutions as well as civil society - have joined forces in the effort to win the title of the European Capital of Culture. On the progress of the candidature, Mr Dinos Lefkaritis said: "The organization was founded in October 2022. Our first task was to staff it with people who could carry out this ambitious collective goal. After proper procedures, we selected our partners. People with proven experience in such ambitious endeavours: Spiros Pisinos was the Artistic Director of the Pafos candidacy in 2017 and Kelly Diapouli, created the proposal of Eleusis, which unanimously won the title of the European Capital of Culture 2021 among 14 candidate cities in Greece.
Speaking from the position of the General Director of the Larnaka candidacy, Spiros Pisinos presented the selection process and criteria, while the Artistic Director Kelly Diapouli analysed the visual identity and the main directions of Larnaka 2030 as follows:
Larnaka is the oldest city in Cyprus and has been inhabited for more than four thousand years. The city's culture has been shaped by its long history. A unique crossroads of the Mediterranean with influences from the West and the East that have created a rich heritage inspired by countless cultures. The meeting point of Europe and the East (geographically, culturally, architecturally). The Larnaka 2030 logo "marries" in a harmonious yet dynamic way, different elements that characterize Larnaca and define its personality and character as well as its uniqueness, from a historical, cultural, religious point of view, but also from its unique natural environment. The way in which the individual elements have been placed in the logo at first glance, form the city of Larnaca. It is as if they "tell" its unique history. Bold, vivid colours, curves and straight lines, contrasts and convergences, make up the mosaic of the city.
At the same time, these elements reflect the 6 pillars of Larnaka 2030, as a Multicultural, Creative, Family, Human, Sustainable City, and a City with Curiosity and Talent.
The presentation of the visual identity was accompanied by an event in Zouhouri Square, where the Larnaka 2030 offices are located and indicative of its directions. As Ms Diapouli said, "The All Together for the European Capital of Culture event is the result of collaboration with many of the city's institutions and artists, because we are investing in a participatory planning process. A process of public consultation with the artists and cultural bodies of the city has already started and will continue in order to shape the Larnaka 2030 cultural programme. It also focuses on children because they are the future of the city. Finally, it proposes a new way of inhabiting public space and promotes the values of inclusiveness and sustainability, which are core values of our programme".
The "All Together for the European Capital of Culture" event included a series of workshops for children and young people. In particular, Larnaka Archives Phivos Stavrides in collaboration with the Larnaca Cultural Foundation for Children and Youth organised the workshop "λefkart: Creating using Lefkara lace” Youth Makerspace Larnaka organized a workshop on 3D creations using 3D pens, while different artists of the city had curated workshops on planting, upcycling as well as the "Green Snakes and Ladders", a 72 sqm game that motivates children to incorporate green practices in their everyday life. Finally, the Sistema Cyprus Wind and Percussion Orchestra in Larnala filled Zouhouri Square with the sounds of its young musicians.
In conclusion, the Artistic Director of Larnaca 2030 noted: "Winning the title of the European Capital of Culture is a dream that unites the people of Skala. And I think that the time has come for dreams to take place."
