Prof. Georgios Deligiannakis visits the Cyprus Institute
On 21 July 2026, Prof. Dr. Georgios Deligiannakis visited the Cyprus Institute together with the doctoral candidate Georgios Kalanidis (Münster). Prof. Deligiannakis teaches at the Open University of Cyprus, where he is responsible for the Program in Hellenic Culture. He is currently a guest at the Leibniz Centre for Archaeology in Mainz as part of the Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers. In discussions with Michael Grünbart and Thorsten Kruse, the focus was on opportunities for future project collaborations as well as on cooperation within the various Erasmus programmes.
In the 2026/2027 winter term, the Cyprus Institute, in collaboration with the Arbeitsstelle Griechenland, is once again organising a Greek language course. This course is aimed at complete beginners with no prior knowledge, as well as those with some prior knowledge who would like to refresh their skills. In any case, an interest in the Greek language and culture is the most important prerequisite.
The focus is on learning and practising the most important aspects of Greek grammar and acquiring a basic vocabulary that can be expanded upon. The course also aims to practise speaking in everyday situations.
The course is open to anyone interested in languages and can be credited towards both general studies and an Erasmus placement.
The course takes place twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays from 4 pm to 6 pm (on time) at the Arbeitsstelle Griechenland.
We look forward to seeing you!
For further information, please contact us at zypern@uni-muenster.de
Cypriot EU Council Presidency Comes to an End – Handover to Ireland and Farewell to Ambassador Papakyriakou
On 30 June 2026, the second Cypriot EU Council Presidency came to its scheduled end. To mark the occasion, a reception was held in the garden of the residence of the Cypriot Ambassador, Maria Papakyriakou, during which the Council Presidency was symbolically passed on to Ireland.
In keeping with a fine old Berlin tradition, the Council Presidency bicycle changed hands: the Irish Ambassador to Berlin, Maeve Collins, received it from Ambassador Papakyriakou. As is customary, the bicycle's decorations had previously been complemented with elements typical of the country—a Cypriot flag and a lace saddle cover crafted in the style of traditional Cypriot techniques.
In his address, Gunther Krichbaum, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, looked back on the outgoing Cypriot Council Presidency and combined this with an outlook on the tasks ahead for the Irish Presidency.
At the same time, the reception marked a farewell: after five years in Berlin, Maria Papakyriakou is moving to Geneva, where she will represent Cyprus at the United Nations. The team of the Cyprus Institute wishes Ambassador Papakyriakou all the best for her new position in Switzerland and thanks her warmly for the close and friendly support she has provided over the past years.
On 15 June 2026, a literary event dedicated to Cyprus took place at the North Rhine-Westphalia State Representation to the Federal Government. As part of the series "EUROPA erlesen" (Reading Europe), the spotlight this time was on Cyprus.
Following a welcome address by Justus Koch, Deputy Head of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Representation, Georgios Stavrinou, Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Head of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Germany, gave a brief speech. In it, he took up, among other things, the title of the event: "Cyprus and Europe—Shifting Perspectives."
This was followed by an overview of the history of Cyprus by Thorsten Kruse—from Christianisation to the present day. In the main part of the programme, the two Cypriot authors Artemis Chrysostomidou and Maria Constanti presented excerpts from their artistic work. The reading included a panel discussion with the two writers and Thorsten Kruse.
The event was initiated by the Literaturbüro NRW (NRW Literature Office) and developed in cooperation with Marianna Christofides, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Berlin. It was moderated by translator and cultural producer Marina Agathangelidou.
Exchange with the UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage in Cyprus
As part of a research and working visit to Cyprus, Thorsten Kruse visited the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) in Limassol on 2 June. There he met Prof. Marinos Ioannides, holder of the renowned UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage MNEMOSYNE.
During an exceptionally productive exchange, Prof. Ioannides provided a comprehensive overview of the diverse and internationally recognised digitisation projects carried out by the UNESCO Chair. On this occasion, he also presented Thorsten Kruse with a selection of recent publications, which will be a valuable addition to the institute's library.
At the conclusion of the visit, both sides agreed to continue their dialogue and to explore opportunities for future cooperation.
