Pafos aspires to become an “open cultural plant”, extending in time, space and in the various forms of arts, by bidding for the European Capital of Culture title for 2017.

Yiannis Anthis, a member of the artistic team for the candidacy of Pafos, speaking to CNA said that the city’s motto is going along the lines of “connecting continents and bridging civilizations”.

This, he said, reflects the city’s historic role, as a crossroads between East and West, North and South.

Pafos aims to become a European niche in the area of the Middle East and North Africa, Anthis went on, adding that such an influence has always existed due to the city’s geographic location and remains still apparent, albeit in a different way. He explained moreover that this influence is evident today through immigrants and tourists flocking to the area.