Lecture & Talk

A glimpse into Famagusta’s cultural heyday: A treasure trove of Greek Cypriot art returned by the Turkish Cypriot community to the Greek Cypriot community

Thursday 13 March 2026 | 18:30–20:30

Doors open at 18:00

📍 The Hellenic Centre, London

This special lecture forms part of the public programme of the exhibition George Pol.

Georghiou – Timeless Cyprus, presented in London on the occasion of Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union (January–June 2026).

Delivered by Yiannis Toumazis, the talk offers a rare and deeply personal insight into the return of important Greek Cypriot artworks that remained inaccessible for decades in Famagusta. Drawing on his pivotal role in the bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, Dr Toumazis reflects on the negotiations, field visits, documentation processes, and human encounters that enabled these works to be recovered and shared once more with the public.

At the heart of the lecture lies the work of George Pol. Georghiou, a central figure of Cypriot modern art whose paintings became a visual chronicle of the island’s modern history. Rooted in the landscapes, people, and traditions of Cyprus, his imagery captures both monumental and intimate moments—faith and daily life, displacement and continuity, memory and resilience. Through this lens, the lecture invites audiences to consider how art can function as testimony and how cultural heritage can preserve identity across time and rupture.

Expanding the themes of the exhibition, the talk explores the broader concept of cultural return and restitution, addressing why the protection and recovery of cultural heritage remains a shared European responsibility. Within the context of Cyprus’s EU Presidency, the event highlights culture as a powerful space for dialogue, cooperation, and reconciliation.

Visitors are warmly encouraged to arrive early to view the exhibition before the lecture begins.

Practical Information

• Date: Thursday 13 March 2026

• Time: 18:30–20:30 (doors open at 18:00)

• Venue: The Hellenic Centre, 16–18 Paddington Street, London W1U 5AS

• Tickets: Day tickets available via link

About the Exhibition

George Pol. Georghiou – Timeless Cyprus is presented by the A. G. Leventis Foundation through the A. G. Leventis Gallery, with the support of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus and the Cyprus High Commission in the UK. The exhibition is curated by Loukia Loizou Hadjigavriel and Katerina Stephanides, following the vision of the late Eleni S. Nikita, and brings together works from state, private, and family collections, including a significant number of works returned from the occupied areas of Cyprus.