Sector 2: Nicosia – The Green Line Project
In 2025, sixty years after the establishment of the Green Line, the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia addressed one of the most sensitive chapters in the city’s history. The 1.5-kilometre buffer zone that cuts through the historic heart of Cyprus’capital has shaped daily life for decades. Once the heart of trade and neighbourhood life, it became an inaccessible, derelict corridor. The Leventis Museum launched the multifaceted project Sector 2: Nicosia to examine this reality with historical rigour and sensitivity.
The curatorial team conducted 18 months of research, supported by historians, and recorded more than 40 hours of oral testimonies. Objects, photographs and personal memorabilia were assembled alongside archival material to create a temporary exhibition that connects individual memories with collective history. The term ‘Sector 2’ is used by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to describe the geographical division of Nicosia within the areas of control. The Buffer Zone in the Historic Centre of Nicosia was listed among the 7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe in 2013 by Europa Nostra.
Theatre professionals, designers and digital specialists collaborated to create an immersive environment where audiovisual material, soundscapes and virtual reality installations guide visitors through the city’s past and present. The aim was to present a contested past in a non-authoritative and impartial manner. The exhibition leaves space for reflection and personal interpretation and encourages dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.
Guided tours were organised to visit the Green Line in situ, so participants could experience the divided urban landscape directly. Lectures explored the social and historical consequences of the city’s division, alongside discussions on the area’s architectural value. Educational programmes engaged around 1,300 participants aged six to eighteen, while workshops for families and students explored themes related to loss, history and memory. A documentary screening, a concert entitled Makrydromos and the publication of an extensive catalogue expanded the project’s reach.
The project attracted audiences from schoolchildren to researchers and international visitors. So far, more than 18,000 people have participated in events, while overall engagement across physical and digital platforms reached close to 50,000. Members of Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, Armenian, Latin and Maronite communities contributed testimonies and objects, and placed personal histories at the centre of the exhibition.
A 360° digital recording will preserve the exhibition for future researchers. The exhibition was on display at the Leventis Museum from January 2025 and was extended to June 2026. The project was also presented as a parallel exhibition in Athens, in the framework of events of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026, co-organised with the Deputy Ministry of Culture and held under the auspices of the Hellenic Parliament. Hosted at the Tobacco Factory, the exhibition fostered a cultural dialogue between the two capitals.
The Awards’ Jury remarked: “Sector 2: Nicosia – The Green Line Project addresses a highly sensitive context and involves all communities in its documentation and presentation. Through the testimonies of witnesses, the programme stimulates open and thoughtful dialogue in a complex urban and social environment.”
Contact:
Dr. Tzeni Lymperopoulou | The Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia | info@leventismuseum.org.cy | www.leventismuseum.org.cy