A press conference for the 14th Cyprus Silk Cocoon Festival has been held.
Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü, Municipal Council members, Beylerbeyi Muhtarı Niyazi Engin, Green Peace Movement Secretary General Doğan Sahir, Bellapais Protection and Development Association President Mehmet Perçinkardeşler attended the meeting and the festival program, which will be held on 4th and 5th May, was announced.
The festival, which will last for 2 days in the Bellapais Monastery park area, will include various music concerts and dance and folklore shows. The official opening event of the festival will be held on Saturday 4th May at 15:00. Stands will open at 11:00 in the morning.
In his speech, the Mayor of Girne, Nidai Güngördü, said the festival started with the initiative of the Green Peace Movement 14 years ago, the Municipality was also noted in the following years. Nidai Güngördı pointed out that thanks to the festival, the awareness of silk cocoon was created and a cooperative was established for this purpose. Güngördü, added that the silk cocoon industry will create jobs in Lapta and Lefkara. Güngördü emphasized that the aim of the cooperative is to bring together the producers who are engaged in manual work but have difficulty in selling their products. Güngördü thanked those who have contributed to the festival for the last 14 years.
The Secretary General of the Green Peace Movement, Doğan Sahir, stated that we have a rich country in terms of its natural history and cultural characteristics, but we suffer from economic and identity crises. Dogan Sahir, said that the silk cocoon business was about to be destroyed and the festival was started to raise awareness of its value. Sahir, said the silkworm and awareness of the mulberry trees also gained value. Sahir pointed out the importance of domestic and international marketing with the cooperative and emphasized the need to register for the brand to be international.
Beylerbeyi Muhtar Niyazi Engin said that they would do their best to promote the silk cocoons and handicrafts in the village. He added that this culture will be transferred to future generations with the activities to be carried out in primary schools as well as the promotions to be made for tourists.
FESTIVAL PROGRAM
May 4th – Saturday
11:00 Music broadcast, 14:00 Group Triple concert, 15:00 Official Opening and Speeches. 15:30 Kyrenia Municipality Folk Dance Ensemble show, 15:45 Group Arabent concert, 17:15 Çatalköy Municipality Folk Dance Ensemble show, 17:30 Girne Tango Club show, 18:00 Acoustic DUO concert, 19: 30 Movie screening.
May 5th – Sunday
11:00 Music broadcast, 14:00 DİGEM (Folkloric Cyprus Music), 15:00 Dikmen Youth Center Folk Dance Ensemble show, 15:30 The Hot Club of Cyprus concert 16:45 Hasder folk dance show, 17:00 History of the silkworm – Speaker Prof.Dr. Prof. Dr. Ali Efdal Özkul and Applied cocoon handicraft workshop, 18:30 Dance Fit. Dance Show, 19:00 Final Concert Cahit Kutrafalı Quartet.
