President Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday opened the exhibition of rare postcards titled “Carte Postale: EU Journey Through the Lens of Time” at Larnaca International Airport, describing it as a symbolic prelude to Cyprus’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The exhibition, hosted in one of the country’s busiest gateways, welcomes travellers into a visual narrative of Europe’s past as Cyprus prepares to receive tens of thousands of visitors during its presidency semester.
Christodoulides said the government expects around 20,000 visitors from EU member states and beyond over the six-month period, with delegations, experts and officials set to travel to Cyprus for meetings, events and conferences tied to the presidency. He noted that the exhibition serves as both a cultural showcase and a warm introduction to the island’s role within the European family.
Congratulating Hermes Airports, the President highlighted the record passenger arrivals recorded last year and again this year at Larnaca and Paphos airports. He attributed the achievement to the strong cooperation between the operator and the government, adding that Cyprus’s visibility will only increase as the EU presidency approaches.
The exhibition features 250 rare postcards from the past century, depicting Cyprus and the other 26 EU member states. The material originates from the collection of the late collector Antonis Chatzipanagis and has been curated by his son, journalist Panikos Chatzipanagis. Christodoulides called it an “interesting and admittedly rare exhibition for Cyprus,” noting that it offers a unique window into European life at the turn of the 20th century.
“This is a virtual journey to a time when almost everything was different,” he said. “It reminds us of an era when communication relied on handwritten correspondence, carried from hand to hand. Although this way of sending wishes and memories may seem outdated today, it retains a charm worth remembering for older generations and discovering for younger ones.”
He also recalled that during Cyprus’s first EU Council Presidency in 2012, a similar exhibition featuring Cypriot photographs was presented at the House of Cyprus in Athens, underlining the cultural dimension that accompanies the country’s institutional role within the European Union.
Christodoulides said the Larnaca Airport exhibition, organised with Hermes Airports, serves as an elegant send-off for the thousands of visitors expected to pass through the island’s airports during the presidency. “It is a beautiful farewell, a reminder that Cyprus’s story is deeply connected to Europe’s,” he said.
According to the government’s planning, approximately 20,000 visitors are anticipated between July and December 2026. The President reiterated that historic arrival numbers show Cyprus is ready to host them.
Source: gov.cy