The Interwoven Narrative Hubs & Shifting Shores are VAHA Programme funded projects. VAHA is an initiative of Anadolu Kültür and zusa, funded by Stiftung Mercatorand the European Cultural Foundation. The first phase of the project Interwove Narrtives Hub was implemented by Famagusta New Museum, Center of Performing Arts – MITOS and Famagusta Walled City Association.
The initiative engaged communities in Cyprus through four key activities that linked public spaces with personal histories. These included creating an alternative Famagusta booklet, exploring shared intangible heritage via food and memories, expanding the oral history archive and hosting a two events one in Limassol and one in Famagusta with discussions, walking tours and other activities. By combining technology with personal narratives, the initiative encouraged intercommunal cooperation and helped people reimagine Cyprus’ shared past and future. Through these activities, partners worked together to promote understanding and cultural continuity, offering resources such as the Famagusta booklet, culinary workshops, new sound maps, one for Famagusta and one for Limassol and the “Remembering Together” events to deepen public engagement and strengthen community bonds.
The partners came together under the motto of ‘Coming Together to Claim the Public Spaces’ and they did!
How do we tell a city’s story without leaving anyone out? The Alternative Famagusta Booklet offered a more inclusive view of Famagusta, covering the entire region from Salamis to Agia Napa and highlighting both well-known and lesser-known locations. It aimed to showcase the city beyond traditional touristic narratives, reflecting the experiences and histories of all communities in the area.
The booklet and accompanying map were launched in September 2025 during an in-person event in Famagusta. The map was the first of its kind to present Famagusta as a whole, listing places of interest that extend beyond typical tourist routes. It also complemented the initiative’s sound maps, allowing users to explore the city from Deryneia to Salamis Ancient City while listening to personal stories from past and present residents.
Copies of the booklet and map are available at the Famagusta Walled City Association in Famagusta and at The Old Vinegar Factory, MITOS’ performance space in Limassol, providing both locals and visitors with a resource to engage more deeply with the city’s cultural and historical landscape.
Food is more than just a meal; it is a bridge between cultures.
As part of this activity, the initiative explored how culinary traditions can connect communities and preserve shared memories. We worked with Joy of Origins to create two short documentaries that capture memory through food.
In the first video, Maro from Varosi, Famagusta shares her childhood memories and her life in Limassol after 1974, and cooks Cauliflower Kapamas, a dish she brought with her from Famagusta. A story of memory, resilience and tradition.
In the second video, Kıymet prepares Leymosun Dadlısı, known in the past as Garavolli Gurabiyesi, and shares her memories of life in Limassol before 1974, her experiences after 1974, and her journey through university education. A journey through taste, memory and perseverance.
The videos were screened during both of the initiative’s in-person events, and attendees in Famagusta had the chance to taste the Leymosun Dadlısı made by Kıymet Alibey.
The videos were made publicly available on our Facebook page in full and continue to be screened at various events, allowing audiences to explore the tastes, stories and histories that connect communities across Cyprus.
As part of the initiative, two sound maps were created: one for Limassol and one for Famagusta. The Limassol map was developed by the Centre of Performing Arts MITOS, bringing to life the memories of public spaces and community life before 1974 through interviews with former residents of Limassol’s ‘mahalla’.
For Famagusta, five maps already existed, but additional research was carried out to create a new map covering Deryneia, adding new memories for the Walled City and providing extra information for the surrounding area of Salamis Ancient City.
These geo-located sound maps offer visitors a unique way to explore the cities through the voices and personal stories of its residents. Self-guided walking tours allow both locals and visitors to experience shared histories in an immersive way, connecting communities across Cyprus and giving life to the memories embedded in public spaces.
The initiative brought communities together through two immersive, in-person events in Limassol and Famagusta, allowing participants to explore shared memories and reconnect with local histories.
In Limassol, the day began with a presentation about the initiative and its activities. Attendees then watched two short videos featuring Maro Georgiou and Kıymet Alibey, who shared their memories of Famagusta and Limassol while preparing traditional dishes, Cauliflower Kapamas and Limassol Sweet. After the screenings, participants joined a walking tour through the old Turkish Cypriot neighbourhood, passing by places that had once played an important role in residents’ lives. Each stop brought back stories and memories from the past. The walk concluded at Anagennisi Square, formerly known as Park Gazinosu, where participants played tombala, or dombula, just as previous generations had done. The day ended with traditional Cypriot music and dancing, creating a lively atmosphere filled with memories, connections, and shared traditions.
In Famagusta, the event started with an introduction to the initiative and the launch of the new Greater Famagusta Map, which covers the area from Deryneia to Salamis. The team spoke about existing sound maps for Famagusta and presented the new additions. Participants shared memories, explored them together, and engaged in discussions that highlighted the city’s layered histories. The day continued with moments of social interaction and cultural exchange, reinforcing connections between attendees and the spaces they explored.
Both events offered participants a chance to experience shared histories through sound walks, storytelling, and traditional practices. They strengthened intercommunal bonds and created lasting memories, while providing tools such as sound maps, the Famagusta booklet, and local culinary experiences to continue exploring Cyprus’ cultural and historical richness.
You can see all the photos and watch the videos from both of the events on our Facebook page.
Shifting Shores is a transnational project that explores memory, displacement and the role of public space through a programme of workshops, artistic productions and community events.
In the second phase of the VAHA Programme, the Interwoven Narratives Hub is joined by two new partners who form Shifting Shores: Hür Adalar from Alanya and Hiša! from Maribor. As part of this new partnership, a range of activities and actions will take place.
Five exchange workshops, each led by a partner organisation in their area of expertise, will introduce participants to oral history, sound mapping, art publishing and participatory practices. These sessions strengthen the collaboration and support the development of the participating artists.
The project will produce updated interactive walks, a new sound map to be launched in Maribor, and the publication Shifting Shores, created during a residency in Alanya with artists from Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. Bringing together field research, writing and collective art-making, the publication will act as a transnational archive of stories on migration and belonging.
Shifting Shores will conclude with a public event in Famagusta in March 2026, presenting all outcomes and encouraging dialogue on displacement, memory and shared cultural narratives across the Mediterranean.
