Delivering the Virtual Tour of the Exhibition ''Cyprus 1974: Memory is the Only Homeland of Humanity'' to the House of Representatives Featured
On 15 July, the President of the Cyprus Institute, Prof. Stavros Malas, officially delivered the 360° Virtual Tour of the exhibition "Cyprus 1974: Memory is the Only Homeland of Humanity" in a dedicated ceremony at the House of Representatives. The exhibition was initially housed at the State Gallery of Contemporary Art (SPEL) in Nicosia and was jointly presented in 2024 by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus and the Hellenic Parliament Foundation for Parliamentarism and Democracy. It honoured the 50th anniversary of the events of 1974, featuring archival and crowdsourced photographs, official documents, artworks, and personal testimonies reflecting on the island's divided history and its impact on the Cypriot people.
Associate Professor Georgios Artopoulos, together with STARC researchers Andriana Nikolaidou, Augoustinos Augousti, and Michalis Konnaris, from the Andreas Pittas Art Characterisation Laboratories and the Virtual Environments Lab, respectively, presented the Virtual Tour of the exhibition to the members of the House. The project was made possible by the generous support of Ms Anthi Tofari, Director of the Research, Studies and Publications Department of the House of Representatives.
The STARC researchers highlighted the value of the web-based Tour as an educational tool for younger generations, as well as an inclusive medium through which society can experience a media-rich virtual space of memories, inviting online visitors to explore the extensive exhibition material that would otherwise be inaccessible after the exhibition's close. The technology allows visitors to experience the space as if they were there in person. This offers several access and cognitive benefits: the 360° Virtual Tour reproduces the entire curated exhibition for remote access while allowing each visitor to choose the path they wish to explore according to their interests.
Ms Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives, announced that the Virtual Tour will be hosted on the official website of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus.
