Cyprus Semester 2026
European Commission - Joint Research Centre (Seville)
Events celebrating Cyprus holding the Presidency of the Council of European Union
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EXHIBITION 1
Cyprus, comes to you
The exhibition “Cyprus Comes to You” introduced colleagues in Seville to Cyprus through a collection of cultural exhibits reflecting the island’s history, traditions and everyday life. The displays included maps, stamps, engravings and historical materials, with contributions from institutions such as the Cyprus Postal Museum, the Patticheio Municipal Museum of Limassol, and the Military Intelligence Museum in the United Kingdom, alongside private collections such as the stamp collection of Costas Christou. Visitors also encountered elements of Cypriot gastronomy, including rosewater, traditional sweets and Commandaria wine, highlighting the island’s traditions of hospitality. Through these objects, together with the folk tales illustrated by Cypriot engraver Hambis Tsangaris, the exhibition offered colleagues an accessible journey into Cyprus’ cultural memory and heritage, creating a small cultural bridge between Cyprus and the international community of the Joint Research Centre in Seville.
EXHIBITION 2
Limassol Carnival
The exhibition “Limassol Carnival” introduced colleagues at the Joint Research Centre in Seville to one of Cyprus’ most vibrant cultural traditions. Through carnival posters from 1990 to today, historical photographs from the archive of the Patticheio Historical Museum of Limassol, carnival costumes, and pellomaska constructions by Monika Pieridou, the exhibition presented the history and festive spirit of the Limassol Carnival. The experience was further enriched with video projections by Stelios Georgiades and the music of traditional kantadoroi, creating a vivid atmosphere of celebration and memory.
EXHIBITION 3
Made in Cyprus
The exhibition “Made in Cyprus” introduced colleagues in Seville to the island’s rich tradition of folk craftsmanship through a curated selection of handmade objects and cultural artefacts. Bringing together embroidery, weaving, basketry, jewellery and traditional costumes, the exhibition highlighted practices shaped over centuries by diverse cultural influences and preserved through everyday life. Visitors encountered emblematic crafts such as Lefkaritiko lace, fythkiotiko weaving and reed basketry, alongside meaningful objects like the mid-20th century wedding crowns (stefana), symbolising unity and continuity within Cypriot society. Complemented by a small tasting of local delicacies, including Cyprus coffee and rosewater drinks, the exhibition offered a tangible and sensory introduction to Cypriot heritage, creating a cultural bridge between Cyprus and the international community of the Joint Research Centre in Seville.
EXHIBITION 4
you are Cyprus
The final exhibition “You Are Cyprus” invites colleagues in Seville to become active contributors to the Cyprus Semester, transforming their personal experiences into a shared cultural narrative. Unlike previous exhibitions, this collective showcase is shaped by participants themselves, bringing together artworks, photographs and creative expressions inspired by the journey through Cyprus’ culture, traditions and events. Each contribution forms part of a broader mosaic — a personal “postcard” from the semester — reflecting how Cyprus has been experienced, interpreted and remembered by the JRC community. Through this participatory approach, the exhibition creates a living cultural bridge, where individual perspectives come together to capture the spirit of Cyprus in a uniquely collective way.
DIGITAL ART GALLERY
As part of the Cyprus Semester, we hosted a digital art gallery sharing art works from artists in Cyprus with our colleagues. Click on the respective link to visit the artist's website (where applicable).
ONLINE TALKS
As part of the Cyprus Semester, the Online Talks series brings Cyprus closer to colleagues through conversations, presentations, and discussions of Cypriot researchers. These sessions offer an opportunity to explore Cyprus from multiple perspectives: history, culture, economy, society, and contemporary challenges.
Online talk
Speaking Cyprus, from multilingual traditions to the Digital Age
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gi2vs4EdCaEm72p85MG-_oQ4WMbyLETL/view?usp=sharing
Assist. Professor Spyros Armostis (University of Cyprus)
Costas and Effie Athanassiou (Cyprussays)
Online talk
From Stalemate to Progress: Lessons from the Missing Persons Case in Cyprus
Professor Iosif Kovras (University of Cyprus)
Online talk
Aphrodite of Cyprus: Myth, Cult, and Identity
Dr Christina Ioannou (Academy of Cyprus)
GET TOGETHER EVENT: VASILOPITTA
The Vasilopita cake-cutting event marked the beginning of the Cyprus Semester activities at the Joint Research Centre in Seville, bringing colleagues together around a cherished Cypriot New Year tradition. The event combined celebration and cultural discovery through a 20-question quiz about Cyprus, with the winner, Abian García Rodríguez, receiving a travel guide to Cyprus. Colleagues then shared two traditional cakes, vasilopita and fanouropita, each prepared with the customary hidden coin that brings luck to the person who finds it. The lucky winners received small gifts from the Cyprus Postal Museum along with traditional Cypriot products. Through this event, colleagues were introduced to the symbolism of Cypriot customs and the spirit of community and good fortune that accompanies the beginning of a new year.
CYPRIOT COOKING CLASSES
The Cypriot Cooking Classes brought colleagues at the Joint Research Centre in Seville together to discover the flavours and traditions of Cypriot cuisine through a series of five hands-on cooking sessions organised over two weeks in March. Participants prepared traditional dishes such as koupepia, koliva, halloumi ravioli and amygdalota, accompanied by classic meze including talattouri, tahini dip and tsakistes olives, learning recipes that reflect Cyprus’ rich culinary heritage and everyday food culture. The classes were taught by Androulla Leonidou. The posters were designed by María José Fernández de Ossó Fuentes. The initiative was made possible with the generous support of COPAS JRC Seville, The Rose Factory, Sklavenitis Cyprus Ltd, and Charalambides Christis Ltd, whose contributions helped bring the ingredients and traditions of Cyprus to the JRC community.
simerini.sigmalive.com/article/2026/3/20/mathemata-mageirikes-apo-ten-kupro-ste-sebille/
https://www.cna.org.cy/article/10016065/mathimata-kypriakis-mageirikis-sti-sevilli-sto-plaisio-tis-kypriakis-proedrias-ee
CYPRIOT AMIGDALOTA
To celebrate three months of activities and the final date of five cooking classes, we prepared Cypriot Amigdalota (sweet almond bites) for colleagues.
Cyprus Bukkoma
The “Cyprus Bukkoma” offered colleagues in Seville an authentic Cypriot brunch experience, centred on the island’s tradition of sharing food in a warm and communal setting. Bringing together a rich variety of flavours — from fresh vegetables, olives and herb-infused eggs to halloumi, anari and cured lountza — the brunch reflected the simplicity and generosity of Cypriot everyday life. Traditional baked goods such as flaounes and artisan breads were complemented by local delicacies including pasteli, carob products and sweets, alongside Cyprus coffee and rosewater drinks. More than a tasting event, the Bukkoma created a space for connection and cultural exchange, translating the essence of Cypriot hospitality into a shared experience within the international community of the Joint Research Centre in Seville.
Cypriot Folk Dancing Classes
The Cypriot dance classes introduced colleagues in Seville to traditional group dances such as Cypriot syrtos and Cypriot kalamatianos, both characterised by their circular formations, coordinated steps and strong sense of collective rhythm. Across four sessions, with nearly 70 participants, colleagues learned how these dances combine simplicity and elegance, gradually building patterns that encourage participation and connection. Rooted in celebration and social gathering, syrtos and kalamatianos reflect the communal spirit of Cypriot culture, where dance becomes a shared language. Through these classes, participants not only learned traditional movements but also experienced firsthand the joy, energy and togetherness that define Cypriot dance traditions.
From Cyprus to Seville
Economic Research, Data, and New Insights
As part of the Cyprus Semester 2026 at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission in Seville, the workshop “From Cyprus to Seville: Economic Research, Data and New Insights” brings together leading researchers and policy experts to discuss new evidence and analytical perspectives on Cyprus and the wider European economy. The event features presentations by Panayiotis C. Andreou, Niki Papadopoulou, Maria Zeniou and Erbay Akansoy, covering topics ranging from financial literacy and macroeconomic modelling to new labour market evidence from Cyprus’s two communities. Organized within the TEDAM seminar series, the workshop creates a platform for dialogue between academia, European institutions, and policy practitioners.
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