The Cyprus Foundations Administration in Cyprus protests beer festival held at square housing historic mosque

The Cyprus Foundations Administration (Evkaf) has objected to a beer festival held at Zuhuri Square in Larnaca, where the historic Zuhuri Mosque and Tekke are located, saying the area's religious and cultural significance should be respected.

The Cyprus Foundations Administration, known as Evkaf, has criticized the organization of a beer festival at Zuhuri Square in Larnaca, Cyprus, where the historic Zuhuri Mosque and Tekke are located.

In a written statement, Evkaf said the mosque and tekke are important examples of the Turkish-Islamic heritage that has survived on the island from the Ottoman period and form an important part of Larnaca's historic character.

The administration said local Muslims had raised concerns about holding the festival at the site and had called for the event to be moved to another location, but that their concerns had not been addressed.

EVKAF CALLS FOR GREATER SENSITIVITY
Evkaf said protecting historic and religious heritage should extend beyond preserving physical structures to recognizing the meanings attached to those sites and the sensitivities of communities connected to them.

“Historical and religious heritage does not lose its value depending on which community controls that heritage today,” the administration said. “Respect for historical heritage is also respect for the will to live together today.”

The statement called on the Larnaca Municipality and relevant authorities to show greater sensitivity toward the historical and religious character of the Zuhuri Mosque and Tekke in future decisions concerning the site.

The administration did not state whether it had sought legal action or whether the festival organizers had been formally notified of its objections.

ZUHURI MOSQUE AND TEKKE
The Zuhuri Mosque and Tekke are located in the historic centre of Larnaca and are associated with the island's Ottoman-era Muslim heritage.

Evkaf's statement framed the dispute not only as a question of preserving historic buildings but also as one concerning how religiously significant sites are used in contemporary public spaces.

The controversy comes amid broader discussions in Cyprus over the preservation and use of religious and cultural heritage sites shared by communities with different historical and religious identities.

Source: Anadolu Agency (AA)