Yannis Toumazis becomes first Deputy Minister of Culture

Yannis Toumazis has been appointed by the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades as the first Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, taking office on 1 July.

According to the Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos, Toumazis is a personality identified with the culture of our country and its development. He added that he is distinguished for his professional competence, his ethics and especially his deep knowledge of the subject he is called upon to manage.

Toumazis tells CNA he will try to serve the new Deputy Ministry with all his strengths.

"I will serve culture and especially its people, the creators and producers of culture, as best I can," said the Deputy Minister, who added that he himself has been "an active producer of culture for more than 30 years".

Yannis Toumazis noted "there is much to be done for the good of the cultural product of our island which has great potential for development". He also said that "collective work is needed and no one can be left over in this great ambitious effort".

"I believe that with a participatory process we can achieve a great deal and I hope that we will succeed," the Deputy Minister of Culture concluded.

Yannis Toumazis was born in Famagusta and studied Civil Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, Scenography at the School of Fine Arts in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and Aesthetics and Theory of Art at the University of Amiens, France, where he completed his PhD thesis. He is Professor of Art History and Theory at Frederick University, coordinator of the doctoral program.

Since 1994 he has been Director of the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre and the Pierides Foundation. He has served as Chairman of the Board of the Cyprus Theatre Organization and Vice-Chairman of the Bicommunal Technical Committee for Culture. In 2011, the French Republic awarded him the title of Knight of Arts and Letters for his contribution to culture. In 2020 he was unanimously elected Corresponding Member of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts.