Agrotis Travel is proud to be a Pafos2017 Supporter! As already announced, the city of Pafos has the honour of being Europe’s Capital of Culture for the year 2017. A joint honour along with Aarhus in Denmark. Many cultural events and functions will take place in Pafos during 2017 but also in the months leading. With this in mind we are thrilled and extremely proud to be an official Pafos2017 Supporter! Don’t forget that we can help you arrange cultural trips, visits and many other interesting activities coinciding with the Pafos2017 program. For example why not witness the opening ceremony in the beautiful center of Pafos? Or one of the many open-air concerts by established artists? Feel free to contact us for more details. Read on to learn more about the Pafos2017 concept! About the city of Pafos Pafos has abundant historical legacy with many wonderful cultural heritage sites. Among them the remains of Aphrodite’s temple, castles, amphitheatres, fortresses, the famous Roman period mosaics and the Tombs of the Kings situated in the UNESCO listed archaeological sites of Kato Pafos. In ancient times, the first settlement of Pafos was built in Palaepafos (Kouklia village area), and then it was moved west to Nea Pafos (Kato Pafos). Nowadays, the town is divided into the upper part, which is known as Pano Pafos or Ktima and the lower part near the sea, which is known as Kato Pafos. In the 1980s Pafos became a major tourist destination, and in 1980 the archaeological sites of Kato Pafos were included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, placing Pafos on the international map as the cultural city of Cyprus. The first capital of Cyprus in Hellenistic and Roman times is now once again a capital: THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE FOR 2017 The European Capital of Culture is the most important cultural institution of Europe and one of the most prestigious cultural events in the world. Τhe award of this title is a great tribute for any European city and country. The European Capital of Culture is a title designated by the European Union for a period of one year during which a city is given the opportunity to highlight the importance of cultural development, to involve citizens and creators in this process and to promote European cultural identity. The Open Air Factory concept This central concept of the Pafos2017 programme was developed based on a tradition spanning thousands of years when culture was enacted out in the open air and on the acknowledgement that there is a necessity for a new openness in our way of thinking, living and acting so that we may re-connect spaces and people in our region. The Open Air Factory guarantees a wider outreach into all parts of the region and community, mass exposure for the Pafos2017 activities and a shared space open to communication and collaboration. The concept of the Open Air Factory is not just about the openness of space; it is about tolerance, acceptance, encouragement and inclusion of different cultures, ideas and beliefs. The Open Air Factory will encompass the entire district, both spatially and socially. It will have a decentralised structure with various sections, units, and workshops within the centre of Pafos, extending outwards to the district’s municipalities and smaller communities. Linking Continents – Bridging Cultures Pafos has always been at the crossroad of the Eastern Mediterranean and through its modern multicultural reality Pafos now aspires to be the first European Capital of Culture, which will link East and West. Its geographical proximity to the Middle East as well as to the European mainland, positions Pafos to act as a link for cultural exchange. Our motto also expresses the need for linking and bridging the differences between Pafos’ various groups of citizens: residents, visitors and migrants. Moreover, it stresses the importance of uniting the scattered parts of the city and transforming the entire district of Pafos into a common and a shared space for all its citizens – symbolically and physically. Last but not least, it highlights the need for bridging the differences between the Greek and the Turkish Cypriot communities through various comprehensive and capacity building projects that Pafos2017 will develop along the way. More details abouts the institution here: www.pafos2017.eu