Within the scope of the project "Youth in Action: Developing Dialogue through Culture," funded by the European Union and implemented under the leadership of HASDER in collaboration with PAOK Klirou Cultural and Sports Association, various workshops and field visits were carried out to promote and protect the shared cultural heritage of Cyprus. These activities provided an opportunity for young people to express their views on the protection and promotion of cultural heritage. During the Cultural Heritage Promotion and Preservation Workshops (Activity 2.2.1), participants worked in small mixed groups to generate ideas by answering specific questions. In the Peacebuilding and Leadership Workshops (Activity 2.3), they developed new perspectives on the preservation and sustainability of cultural heritage through practical games and group activities.

The findings presented in this recommendation note are based on the statements of young participants and their collectively determined ideas during these group sessions. The identified issues and the proposed solutions are detailed below:

1. Increasing the Visibility and Protection of Cultural Heritage

Issue: Traditional Cypriot crafts and production techniques (Lefkara lace, sesta weaving, wood carving, crochet, silverwork, pottery, etc.) are gradually disappearing. The number of artisans is decreasing, and this heritage is not sufficiently transferred to new generations. 

Recommendation: Young people emphasized the need to increase the visibility of artisans to ensure the protection of cultural heritage. Platforms such as the Digital Cyprus Artisans Map should be supported and expanded. Digital catalogs, social media campaigns, and promotional videos should be used to make these crafts more widely known. Furthermore, production techniques and crafts should be taught to younger generations under a formal policy framework.

2. Increasing Youth Participation in Cultural Heritage Protection

Issue: Young people are not adequately included in the process of protecting cultural heritage. There is a lack of knowledge and experience transfer between existing artisans and the younger generation. 

Recommendation: Mentorship programs and workshops should be organized to bring young people together with master artisans. During Activity 2.2.1, participants expressed greater interest when they had the opportunity to interact directly with artisans. Therefore, internship, volunteer work, and training programs facilitating this transfer should be promoted.

Additionally, it is recommended to increase the focus on cultural heritage in school cultural events, career days, and awareness events across Cyprus. Civil society organizations involved in the "Youth Hope Network" and local artisans should be invited to these events to facilitate direct interaction between young people and traditional production processes.

3. Digitalization and Promotion of Cultural Heritage

Issue: Technological tools are not sufficiently utilized in the protection and promotion of cultural heritage. 

Recommendation: To make cultural heritage more accessible to wider audiences, the use of 3D modelling, virtual tours, digital mapping, and documentary-style content should be supported. Our project’s 3D Folk Dance Archive serves as an example, as it digitized Cyprus’s shared dance culture for future generations. Similarly, artisans’ work should be documented digitally and presented through virtual exhibitions.

4. Inclusion of Collective Decision-Making and Peacebuilding in Cultural Heritage Policies

Issue: Public dialogue and collective decision-making processes are not sufficiently used in the development of cultural heritage policies. 

Recommendation: Group activities moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Direnc Kanol during the Peacebuilding and Leadership Workshops (Activity 2.3) helped participants experience the importance of collective decision-making and a culture of reconciliation. Participants reported realizing that protecting cultural heritage requires more than individual effort and that collective processes better serve public interest. It is therefore recommended that local governments and civil society organizations involve young people more actively in decision-making processes related to cultural heritage.

Moreover, workshops led by expert Arif Osum encouraged young people to explore the importance of human rights and rights-based approaches in heritage preservation. The use of community-based approaches should be encouraged, and peacebuilding efforts should be integrated with cultural heritage policy.

In this context, young people agreed that due to the division of the island, shared cultural heritage is at risk of disappearing. Hence, heritage protection and peacebuilding policies must be addressed together.

5. Conclusion

As a result of the workshops and field visits carried out during the project, young people realized that protecting cultural heritage goes beyond preserving physical structures and traditions. Social dialogue, reconciliation, and the effective use of technology play a vital role in this process. Young people developed innovative ideas in inclusive environments where they could freely express their views and collaborate for mutual understanding.

Implementing the steps outlined in this recommendation note will contribute to the sustainable protection and transmission of Cyprus’s shared cultural heritage to future generations. Ensuring the active involvement of young people in heritage protection, encouraging them to take ownership, and leveraging digital tools to reach broader audiences must be our primary objectives.

Young people should be supported not only as participants in cultural policy-making processes but also as actors who can develop ideas and produce solutions through dialogue. In this regard, the engagement of relevant institutions and their consideration of youth recommendations will directly contribute to building a peaceful future in Cyprus.

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