The new three-lane Limassol to Nicosia  motorway system opened in November and has been hailed as  successful in meeting its main aim of easing traffic congestion.

The additional lane which is featured on both stretches of road leading into and out of Nicosia accommodates around 63,000 vehicles daily or 4,000 vehicles per hour.

In the past, the specific stretch of motorway experienced some of the island’s heaviest traffic jams as motorists driving into the island’s capital would frequently bottle-neck within several kilometres of Nicosia. The main artery leading into Nicosia was also reconstructed with the creation of a roundabout near Lastsia. The entire construction project, which took around two  year to be completed cost an estimated euro33m. Speaking during the inauguration ceremony President Demetris Christofias said the creation of modern and safer  highways was a priority for the government as private cars remain   the main mode of transport on the island.

However, while the new motorway offers a lot in terms of road safety,  traffic police are still pleading with motorists to get updated on how to use the three-lane system. Following its launch, police began a media campaign in which they provided the public with announcements on how to use the motorway as well as providing television channels with short films on how to safely drive on the three-lane system.

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Nicosia residents last night celebrated one of its most recognisable landmarks, the historic Famagusta Gate.

The event marked Famagusta Gate`s 30^th anniversary as Cultural Centre and posters and photographs connected to events there over the last three decades will remain on show until July 4.

The exhibition is entitled `30 years continuous operation of the Famagusta Gate Cultural Centre.`

Apart from the screening of a documentary by Maro Theodosiadou entitled `The Venetian Walls of Nicosia: Candia, Nicosia, Palmanova – A common origin,` last night`s event also included addresses by Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou and Italy`s Ambassador Alfredo Bastianelli.

Speaking to The Cyprus Weekly, historian Anna Marangou, who will be presenting her Greek and English-language book on Famagusta Gate and its restoration at the venue at 7:30pm on Wednesday, outlined the structure`s significance as a cultural centre.

“I think it is very important that the cultural creativity of Nicosia is housed in a building which itself carries history,” Marangou said.

Noting that Famagusta Gate dated back to 1567 as part of the Venetian fortification of Nicosia, Marangou said it had witnessed many important events in the capital`s history, including the 1570 siege of Nicosia after which it fell to the Ottomans.

“We are celebrating the Municipality`s move to restore Famagusta Gate in 1981. It is of major importance, because Famagusta Gate shows that when you get culture housed in a historical building, another dimension is immediately added to it,” she said.

Built under Venetian rule in the 16^th century, it was still used to enter in Nicosia until less than 100 years ago, but than fell into disuse apart from its two flanking guardrooms being used as artisan workshops and shops.

This continued for several decades until then Nicosia Mayor Lellos Demetriades and his Municipal Council decided to restore it.

This rescue crusade involved private donations, volunteer work, and, according to Nicosia Municipality`s official website, the use of underused municipal machinery.

A dedicated team of volunteers was set up to undertake the monument`s cleaning, restoration and preservation.

Brought back to its former glory by 1981, and winning a Europea Nostra award for its restoration, the Gate with its two halls and grand passageway became one of Nicosia`s most popular cultural centres.

Now mostly used for exhibitions, concerts, lectures, fashion shows and similar cultural events, Famagusta`s Gate`s rich history is as exciting as the many happenings carried out there.

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Nicosia Municipality is seeking to involve its citizens in a bid to win the title of European Capital of Culture for 2017.It has to vie with two other Cypriot candidate cities, Paphos and Limassol, since only one from the island will be selected in 2013.

Mayor Eleni Mavrou officially announcing a Citizens` Participation Campaign in the candidacy project at a press conference in Famagusta Gate this week, invited the people of Nicosia to drop their ideas, thoughts and opinions in special boxes soon to be set up in the capital.

“We want participation to be part of reality for all: no idea can be spared, to the contrary, every idea is a contribution to development,” Mavrou said.

She also introduced a badge to be worn in solidarity to the effort bearing the inscription “Nicosia, the city of my heart” in Greek.

“This is our message, the Mayor said and added: “We would like each one to look at that piece of his heart that bears Nicosia` signature. We want to rely on this relationship and to create new itineraries, to dream, to plan and make the cities of tomorrow. Nicosia lies at the heart of this aim and we want through its candidacy to feed the creativity of the citizens and to activate the development mechanism.”

The logo for the European Capital of Culture candidacy was also presented, ahead of an official announcement today, Friday. Designed by Nicandros Ioannou, it refers to the history and evolution of Nicosia while symbolising its multiculturalism and openness.

Responding to questions about the competition with two other Cypriot cities, Mavrou said it was no coincidence that the selection process was so long – two years – and the preparation process twice as long.

She said that while the dialogue with the two other candidate cities continued about having only one candidate. Nicosia would pursue a dialogue with its citizens to boost its effort, without excluding any other local authorities, agencies or institutions.

The Mayors of Ayios Dometios and Aglandjia were also present at the press conference lending their support to Nicosia.

Asked if Nicosia was not at a disadvantage by not knowing how the city will be in 2017, Mavrou countered that the prospect of change was an advantage rather than a disadvantage.

“It could give an indescribable dynamic not only to Nicosia but to Cyprus as a whole and we all wish to witness this before 2017,” she noted.

The European Capital of Culture was launched in 1985 by Greek Culture Minister Melina Mercouri and her French counterpart Jack Lang.

Starting from 2011, two cities from different EU countries will be nominated each year. In 2017 Cyprus will share the title with Denmark. The current European Capitals of Culture are Tallinn and Turku, from Estonia and Finland. The selection is made by an independent panel of experts in the cultural field responsible for assessing the proposals.

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Alandmark printing house in the heart of Old Nicosia is now an algternative multi-purpose venue for corporate, social and artrelated events.

Called the Press House, the 600 sq m former Violaris printers on Voulgaroktonou Street, was officially opened on Wednesday.

“People like alternative function venues, and old Nicosia is and will be even more popular with corporate events,” property manager Michelle Kari of SFS group –the owners- told .

“The original idea was to be a much more artistic venue, with the space being rented out to artists yo set up studios. But due to the configuration of the building and other small obstacles we went for the multi-purpose idea, instead,” she added.

It coast about 200,000 Euro for the bi-level venue which still hosts an antique printing machine to be renovated.

On exhibit now are paintings by US- based Greek artists John V. Moraitis and Mary Papademas of Nicosia. Eclectic pieces of antique furniture are also on sale.

Separated into four different areas that can be hired out independently, the venue aspires to accommodate seminars, small scale corporate meetings and presentations, product promotions, conferences, gallery exhibitions, movie shows or even small theatrical plays. It can provide parking for a total of 120 cars-across and around the corner from the House.

Costas Kyrkos, also of SFS group, said the Press House is to act as a supporting facility for the small boutique hotel that will be built right across it.

In addition, another close -by trademark building- the Royal cinema which has not been in operation for years –was taken over by the group. The plan is to turn it into a much  bigger multi-funetion hall.

“Royal is very spacious and renovation is already under way. We expect it to be complete by October.” He also said.

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The Nicosia Municipality has officially kicked off the local 2017 European cultural capital contest with a press conference during which Mayor Eleni Mavrou announced the support of Larnaca Municipality, besides those of greater Nicosia.

She suggested that the two other candidate cities of Paphos and Limasol follow Larnaca`s example so as to enable Nicosia to be selected as the only divided capital.

This provoked strong reaction from Paphos Mayor Savvas Vergas, who said that the criteria for choosing the cultural capital of Europe were not political, adding that his town fully qualified for the title.

The designation of a European Cultural Capital by the EU Council was launched in 1987 on the initiative of Greek Education and Culture Minister Melina Mercouri. Two EU countries are invited each year to host the cultural capital concurrently, with Cyprus and Denmark scheduled to do so for 2017.

The invitation for the submission of candidates was published in December 2010 and the candidate cities have to present their file by October this year.

The 13-member Selection Committee is composed of seven persons appointed by the involved EU institutions and the remaining six by the Education and Culture Ministry of the countries concerned. The selection process must be completed by the end of 2012 at the latest, with the European Council announcing the cultural capitals in May 2013.

Flanked by the seven Mayors of wider Nicosia municipalities and that of Larnaca, Mavrou at this week`s press conference said that their support gave new impetus to the candidacy of the capital.

She noted that this was a practice followed by older cultural capitals, since it widened the geographic boundaries of a city and enhanced its social, political and cultural assets,, rendering it more competitive.

Mavrou said that this was a two way process, strengthening the candidacy of the city on the one hand and enabling its partners to share in the positive results on the other.

She stressed that the initiative of the European Cultural Capitals had developed over the years and matured into a tool for the general transformation of the city.

“The conquest of the title takes on the form of a challenge, providing the city with the possibility, maybe the impetus as well, to make accomplishments and develop itself,” she said.

Explaining their decision to support Nicosia`s candidacy, Larnaca Deputy Mayor Alexis Michaelides said the two towns had enjoyed economic, social, commercial and cultural links throughout the centuries, which continue to date.

“The geographical position of Larnaca and today`s facilities of the airport, the port and the marina, not forgetting the hotels, make it an integral and most important partner of Nicosia in its bid for the European Cultural Capital,” he added.

The other Mayors present, namely those of Strovolos, Lakatamia, Engomi, Ayios Dometios, Aglandjia, Latsia and Dhali, each stated the reason for supporting Nicosia.

In this reaction after the press conference, Vergas argued that the bid for the cultural capital was a concern for individual cities nad not for countries or states and emphasised that Paphos would not withdraw.

There was no reaction from Limassol Municipality but they are understood to be continuing to work on the preparation of their file for the contest.

The Nicosia Mayor said that Nicosia would present the basic content of its file at the beginning of next month.

The current European Cultural Capitals are Turku in Finland and Tallinn in Estonia, with Portugal`s Guimaraes and Slovenia`s Maribor already chosen for 2012.

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