As the Republic of Cyprus readies to assume the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, authorities are finalising preparations for a substantial influx of international visitors. The island nation anticipates hosting roughly 20,000 officials, experts, and delegates over the six-month tenure, a period expected to significantly boost air traffic and spotlight the country’s logistical and cultural hospitality. In a symbolic gesture blending history with contemporary European identity, President Nikos Christodoulides has inaugurated a unique postcard exhibition at Larnaca International Airport, designed to greet the arriving dignitaries.
The exhibition, titled “Carte Postale. EU journey through the lens of time,” serves as a curated historical portal for visitors. It features approximately 250 vintage postcards, meticulously selected to represent Cyprus and each of the twenty-six fellow EU member states. This collection, showcasing early 20th-century vistas and communication styles, aims to provide an immediate, tangible connection to Europe’s shared cultural heritage. The initiative echoes a similar diplomatic-cultural endeavour undertaken by Cyprus during its first EU Council presidency over a decade ago, which was displayed in the Greek capital.
The archival project is deeply personal, curated by journalist Panicos Hadjipanayis from the vast collection of his late father, Antonis. A renowned deltiologist, the elder Hadjipanayis was a refugee displaced from his village of Assia following the events of 1974. His lifelong passion for collecting these ephemeral paper snapshots has thus been transformed into a diplomatic tool, framing Cyprus’s European narrative through a lens of both collective history and personal memory. The exhibition implicitly positions Cyprus not merely as a host, but as an integral, storied chapter within the broader European continuum.
Logistically, the presidency period is projected to further accelerate the record-breaking passenger numbers recently experienced by the nation’s gateways. President Christodoulides directly linked this sustained growth to effective public-private coordination. “Both last year and this year, we are seeing historic records in arrivals at our two airports, and this is also the result of close cooperation with the government,” he stated during the exhibition’s opening. The forecast of 20,000 presidency-related visitors underscores the significant economic and operational impact such high-level diplomatic gatherings entail, necessitating seamless infrastructure and service.
While fundamentally forward-looking, the welcoming gesture at Larnaca carries a wistful, reflective tone. Reflecting on the exhibited postcards, President Christodoulides noted, “It may feel old-fashioned today, but postcards still have a charm that’s worth remembering for the older generations and discovering for the younger ones.” This statement underscores a dual objective: to efficiently manage a modern logistical challenge while fostering a moment of reflective connection. The presidency, therefore, becomes an opportunity to project both capability and character.
As Cyprus steps onto this prominent European stage, its preparations reveal a multifaceted strategy. The nation is leveraging the occasion to showcase operational proficiency through its airport authorities and hospitality sectors, while simultaneously engaging in soft diplomacy. By choosing to first greet its thousands of international guests with a silent exhibition of historical imagery, Cyprus is crafting a narrative of depth, resilience, and enduring European affiliation, setting the stage for a presidency that is as much about cultural dialogue as it is about political deliberation.