The Cyprus Community of NSW has officially launched Cyprus Dreaming: A Dialogue with Indigenous Dreaming, a landmark cross-cultural art exhibition bringing Cypriot heritage into a respectful and thought-provoking dialogue with the enduring Dreaming traditions of Australia’s First Nations peoples.
The well-attended visual launch at The Cyprus Club in Lakemba, Sydney on Friday, June 19, brought together representatives of the Greek, Cypriot Australian and wider Australian arts communities, alongside academics, artists, cultural leaders and members of the public.
Presented as a major initiative of the Cyprus Community of NSW’s Cyprus EU Presidency Cultural Programme, the exhibition is being held under the auspices of the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia and in collaboration with Unity in Philia.
The exhibition was first presented in Canberra earlier this year and has been expanded for its Sydney season to include a public lecture, guided tours, educational resources and the launch of an accompanying publication, Cyprus Dreaming: A Dialogue with the Indigenous Dreamtime.
Created by emerging visual artist Katerina Todorovic-Nikolaou and curated by Dr Vassilis Adrahtas, Convenor of Greek Studies at the University of New South Wales, the exhibition examines themes of land, identity, memory, displacement, belonging and cultural resilience.
Through visual art, storytelling and cultural interpretation, the exhibition considers how both Cypriot and Indigenous traditions place relationships with land, ancestry and inherited memory at the centre of identity.
The exhibition does not seek to equate the histories or cultural traditions of the two peoples. Instead, it provides a space in which their distinct experiences can be considered respectfully, while identifying common human questions about homeland, continuity, cultural survival and the transmission of stories between generations.
Speaking on behalf of the Cyprus Community of NSW, Marie Skouras welcomed guests and outlined the exhibition’s importance as an initiative connecting art, education and cultural diplomacy.
Honorary President of the Cyprus Community of NSW and host of the evening, Michael Peters Kyriacou, said cultural institutions had an important responsibility to encourage understanding between communities.
“This exhibition brings together two of the world’s oldest cultural traditions in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding,” Mr Kyriacou said.
“Although separated by geography and shaped by very different histories, both Cyprus and Australia’s First Nations peoples maintain profound connections to land, heritage, memory and identity.”
Mr Kyriacou said society should seek to understand not only what distinguishes different cultures, but also the common thread running through their stories.
“We should always look for what brings us together – our relationship with the environment, our relationships with one another, the memory of those who came before us and our shared search for meaning within the human experience,” he said.
“Culture does not require us to diminish difference. It asks us to approach difference with openness, humility and respect.”
He described the Dreaming as a continuing and living expression of culture rather than simply an account of the past.
“It reminds us that people everywhere seek to understand their place in the world, honour their ancestors and preserve their stories for those who will follow,” Mr Kyriacou said.
Curator Dr Adrahtas discussed the intellectual and philosophical foundations of the exhibition, emphasising the importance of approaching cultural dialogue without simplifying either tradition.
“Meaningful dialogue begins when cultures are allowed to speak from within their own histories, symbols and understandings of the world,” Dr Adrahtas said.
“Cyprus Dreaming does not suggest that the Cypriot experience and Indigenous Dreaming are interchangeable. It creates a carefully considered space in which questions of land, memory, identity and continuity can be explored across cultural boundaries.”
Dr Adrahtas said art was uniquely capable of opening conversations that could not always be captured through conventional historical or political narratives.
“Visual art allows memory, emotion and place to be experienced rather than merely described. It invites the viewer to pause, reflect and reconsider the relationship between personal identity and collective inheritance,” he said.
Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, Director of Archives and Heritage for the Cyprus Community of NSW, said the exhibition formed part of the Community’s broader commitment to preserving history while presenting it in ways that remain relevant to contemporary Australia.
“Cyprus is a land marked by ancient civilisation, successive migrations, conflict, displacement and an enduring attachment to place,” Dr Diamadis said.
“For Cypriots in Australia, questions of homeland and belonging are not abstract. They are carried through family histories, language, faith, music, food, art and the memories passed from one generation to the next.”
He said the exhibition recognised the role of cultural institutions in connecting archival memory with present-day community life.
“Our responsibility is not merely to preserve objects or record events. It is to ensure that history remains alive, accessible and capable of contributing to the conversations taking place in Australian society today,” Dr Diamadis said.
The evening concluded with a cocktail reception hosted by the Cyprus Community of NSW, allowing guests, artists, academics and community representatives to continue the discussion in an atmosphere of cultural exchange and fellowship.
The exhibition also reflects the evolution of the Cyprus Community of NSW itself. Founded to support migrant families and preserve their cultural inheritance, the Community has developed into an established Australian institution increasingly engaged in cultural leadership, education, public dialogue and partnerships across the wider community.
It demonstrates the important role diaspora organisations can play within mainstream Australian society – not only by preserving their own histories, but by promoting inclusion, mutual understanding and constructive engagement between peoples.
Cyprus Dreaming forms part of an extensive Cyprus EU Presidency Cultural Programme presented by the Community. The programme has included the Community Achievement Awards, the Liberty Medals and commemorative initiatives examining the EOKA struggle and Cyprus’ long pursuit of liberty, independence and democratic self-determination.
It will continue through the Cyprus Food and Wine Festival on Sunday, 28 June 2026, one of the final major events in the programme.
Together, these initiatives commemorate and celebrate Cyprus’ European identity while recognising the wider contribution of European civilisation to democracy, law, cultural expression, human dignity and the development of civic society.
The programme also provides opportunities for communities to gather, celebrate their heritage and consider how culture can contribute to the human spirit and to more respectful relationships between people.
Cyprus Dreaming: A Dialogue with Indigenous Dreaming is open to the public at The Cyprus Club, 26 Quigg Street, Lakemba, until 3 July 2026. Visitors can participate in guided tours, lectures and structured educational programmes developed for schools, churches and community organisations. Entry is free.
Further information and group registrations are available at www.thecyprusclub.org.au/EUdream.
