CULTURE
The ancient cultural traditions
of Cyprus are maintained partly by private enterprise and partly
by government activity, especially through the Cultural Services
office of the Republic of Cyprus's Ministry of Education and Culture.
The office publishes books, awards prizes for literature, and
promotes Cypriot publications. Cities have public libraries, as
do many rural communities. The government-sponsored Cyprus Theatre
Organization stages plays by contemporary Cypriot dramatists as
well as classical works. The ancient theatres of Salamis and Soli
in the Turkish sector and Curium in the Greek portion have been
restored; the one at Curium is used for the staging of a variety
of plays, and a Greek theatre has been built at Nicosia
The younger generation of
Greek Cypriots, having grown up in a relatively peaceful, settled,
and prosperous society, continues to maintain aspects of traditional
culture but also enjoys more modern international clothing, popular
music, and movies. Sports have come to play a major role in the
Greek Cypriot community. The government has built stadiums, sports
halls, and swimming pools and has subsidized associations and
clubs for a wide spectrum of sports; there are a professional
league for association football (soccer) and a semiprofessional
league for basketball. Cypriots compete in the Olympic Games,
and young Cypriots engage in a variety of athletic activities,
including archery, bowling, fencing, gymnastics, skiing, tennis,
volleyball, and weight lifting. Motorcycle riding, horse racing,
and water sports have also become increasingly popular.
Numerous painters and sculptors
work in Cyprus, and the Cultural Services office keeps the state's
collection of modern Cypriot art on permanent exhibition. In the
village of Lemba near Paphos the Cyprus College of Art runs courses
for postgraduate art students. The government encourages young
composers, musicians, and folk dance groups.
