Page 55 - ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL 2024

ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL
word of mouth

Donoussa, “Listen to the story...” by the Center for the Study & Dissemination of Myths
& Folktales (Kea), “Paths of Culture in Sikinos: Creation of a navigation and information
application” by the Hellenic Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage, “Intangi-
ble Cultural Heritage of Amorgos - Recording Traditions” by the Municipal Public Benefit
Organization of Amorgos and “Cycladic Youth Gaze” by Cinemathesis (Ios).
The implementation of these programs has begun and is monitored through reports and field
visits for the in-person confirmation of the works. The next funding period covers the year
2024 and concerns proposals to be submitted under the second call sent to the organizations
in September. The selected programs will be announced at the beginning of the new year.

THE FOCUS AREAS
The culture encountered in the archaeological sites and historic structures, along with the
unique biodiversity expressed in the local flora and fauna, as well as the rich heritage infil-
trating everyday life on the Cycladic islands, constitute the connective tissue of the local
communities and create a sense of common identity, the preservation, promotion, and
transmission of which is of utmost importance to future generations. These three elements
are the main axes that the Cycladic Identity initiative prioritizes.

"We wish our Museum to give back to the Cyclades,
in a sustainable and meaningful way."

President and CEO of the Museum of Cycladic Art, Sandra Marinopoulou

Culture
The Cyclades stand between Europe and Asia, a position that ultimately defined their natural
evolution. The islands hosted civilizations and monuments of all eras, acting as a precious
anchorage for every period. In this plain and at times barren landscape, one of the greatest
prehistoric civilizations developed in the 3rd millennium BC, the Cycladic Civilization. In
the Byzantine and post- Byzantine periods, the Cyclades experienced a significant boom
with the construction of important monuments. Prehistoric settlements, monuments of
historical times, castles, forts and walls of all eras, Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches
and monastic complexes, neoclassical buildings, windmills, fountains and dovecotes are some
of the elements that make the Cyclades a unique treasure in the heart of the Aegean Sea.

Biodiversity
The Cyclades are a living evolution laboratory. They are home to an impressive array of bi-
otopes, including Natura 2000 areas. These biotopes range from sandy beaches and rocky
shores, grasslands, marshes, lagoons, olive groves and vineyards, to Poseidonia meadows
and coral reefs. They are habitats to a large number of species of flora and fauna, many of
which are endemic- i.e. species that survived the adverse conditions of the area, developing
special adaptations and prevailing in their ecosystems. In the relatively small area of land
covered by the Cyclades, there are today more than 2,000 species of plants, of which at least
200 are endemic, rare bird species, thousands of marine organisms, including some of the
KEEPING THE TRADITION rarest mammals of the Mediterranean.
Customs, social rituals, traditional practices and arts
of the Cyclades are a valuable part of their history and Intangible Heritage
culture and have shaped, over time, their unique identity. Customs, social rituals, traditional practices, and arts of the Cyclades are a valuable part
The intangible heritage of their history and culture and have shaped, over time, their unique identity. The intan-
gible heritage of the Cyclades includes a variety of elements that are either pervasive in the
From above: Cyclades. Beekeeper in Sikinos.
Anemon Productions ©Museum of Cycladic Art. life of the place, or mark the calendar as occasions for festive gatherings, such as agri-food
traditions, local products, distinctive crops, special architectural types, traditional musical GOLDEN HALL Athens | 37A, Kifisias Av. | Tel +30 210 6857128
instruments, constructions and crafts, festivals and much more. 

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