Overview

CYENS hosted a technical meeting on the finalization of the 3D digitalization of St. Nicholas Gothic Cathedral (Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque) in Famagusta—an important milestone for this cultural heritage project.

What began as a vision with the MASDER Association of Famagusta and our Innovation Community Manager Shaziye Mehmet, supported by funding from the French Embassy in Cyprus and carried out in collaboration with UNDP Cyprus, has now come to life under the leadership of Dr. Marina Toumpouri and her team. The project embodies a shared commitment to safeguard Cyprus’ cultural heritage, preserve it for future generations, and make it accessible to all through digital technologies.

Shared Ambition

During the meeting, participants emphasized that the ultimate goal is to digitally preserve all cultural heritage sites across the divide, ensuring that our common history remains both protected and accessible. This initiative is a step forward in building stronger collaborations that merge innovation with heritage preservation.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks go to the UNDP technical team — Doruk Akal and Cise Tunccag; to the CYENS team — Andreas Kopriva Lernis and Shaziye Mehmet; and to Serdar Atai, President of MASDER, whose efforts were vital in fostering collaboration with our partners.

Looking Ahead

CYENS and its partners remain committed to extending this initiative and exploring new opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration, innovation, and preservation of shared history.