The volunteer student group, "Cleaning our Act," after the presentation of their accomplishments

With small grant assistance from USAID-funded Supporting Activities that Value the Environment program, a band of energetic and committed art, architecture and art history students cleaned up and otherwise improved over twenty cultural heritage sites in the walled city of Famagusta. At an event in the historic Twin Churches on March 19th, the “Cleaning our Act” group used a slideshow of “before” and “after” photos to showcase their hard work over the last eighteen months and to raise awareness around the need to preserve Cyprus’ oft-neglected cultural heritage sites.

The event included members of the community, key local leaders, academics, SAVE and U.S. Embassy staff, including the Deputy Chief of Mission Jane Zimmerman. The students’ effort and the event itself served to underscore the need for continued care of Cyprus’ sites by those responsible for them as well as by residents, tourists, and even passersby. Protecting the vestiges of Cyprus’ rich and varied past is an investment in Cyprus’ peaceful future.

DCM Jane Zimmerman attended the presentation which was held at the Twin Churches in Famagusta.

The SAVE small grants program is designed to support local groups with innovative ideas that help further SAVE’s overall objective to protect and promote the island’s natural and cultural heritage resources. Applications for small grants are accepted and reviewed twice a year; more information on the SAVE small grants program is available from save-info@irgltd.com. Like all U.S.-funded programs in Cyprus, SAVE is aimed at improving the conditions that will foster a durable Cyprus settlement, including through encouraging responsible economic growth and sound environmental management.