With sports as its theme and the title “Athlos”, on the occasion of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the second Limassol Photography Festival was inaugurated on Thursday by Deputy Minister of Culture, Vasiliki Kassianidou, in the presence of France’s Ambassador to Cyprus, Salina Grenay-Catalano.
The opening ceremony took place at the Limassol pier, which hosts one of the seven parallel exhibitions of the festival, with the participation of 28 Cypriot and foreign artists, with photographs from various sports, world games as well as portraits of distinguished athletes.
In her address, Dr. Kassianidou said that the 2nd Limassol Photography Festival is an important event for her Ministry, which supports it through the “KYPRIA” programme, as it combines the art of photography and the love for sport, for fair play, she said.
“As a Deputy Ministry, we support art that is close to people in every way. And that is why we have chosen to support festivals all over Cyprus, in towns or villages that allow each
of us to come into contact with all aspects of our contemporary culture,” she added.
In her remarks, French ambassador Salina Grenet-Catalano, said that 2024 is a very special year, marking the return of Olympic and Paralympic Games to France.
“This is why we are here tonight to celebrate sport in all its facets, as a symbol of achievement, of inclusion, of equality and diversity,” she noted.
The French Embassy in Cyprus and the French Institute of Cyprus are extremely proud to support the second edition of the Limassol Photography Festival, she said.
Grenet-Catalano also announced that this year’s festival has been honoured with the label ‘Cultural Olympiad 2024′ by the Organising Committee of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This distinction, she remarked, highlights the festival’s contribution to the cultural dimension of Olympism but also to its values of excellence, friendship, and respect.
“This year’s festival, themed “?????” – “Athlos”, goes beyond being a mere celebration of photographic art. It is
a testament to the unifying power of sports and the Olympic ideals that lie at the core of our shared human values”, Grenet Catalano added.
The French ambassador said that this year’s festival also focusses on women and sport, which is one the four main themes of the exhibitions. Empowering women through sport is an essential element, among others, for a more equal society. Paris’ Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the first ones to enforce an absolute parity between women and men, she added.
Source: Cyprus News Agency