New York , N.Y. , September 1st, 2010 – To honor the 50 th anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus , the Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) and Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) will host a special event on Thursday, September 23 at The Times Center, in New York City . Renowned classical archaeologist and scholar Joan Breton Connelly, Professor of Classics and Art History at New York University and Director of the Yeronisos Island Excavations in Cyprus, will give a lecture entitled “From Cyprus with Love: Tales of Romance on Aphrodite’s Island,” to be followed by a cocktail reception.
The event begins at 6:30PM with welcome remarks by C. Brian Rose, President, AIA, and Tasoula Manaridis, Director of the Cyprus Tourism Organization in North America . Ms. Connolly, whose many distinctions in the field include the AIA’s James R. Wiseman Book Award for Portrait of a Priestess in 2009 and a groundbreaking reinterpretation of the Parthenon Frieze, will give a talk at 7PM which will evoke the flavor of Cyprus through its major cities and sanctuaries. This exploration of the great love stories from myth and history that are set on the island will be followed by a leisurely reception featuring savory Cypriot specialties.
The 2010 Autumn Lecture & Reception will take place from 6:30PM to 9:30PM at The Times Center, located at 242 West 41 st Street in Manhattan . Tickets are $25 for AIA members and $35 for non-members. To purchase tickets, visit www.archaeological.org or call (617) 353-9361.
ABOUT CYPRUS : Cyprus achieved independence from Great Britain on August 16, 1960. Its capital is Nicosia (Lefkosia) and currency is the euro. Human history on Cyprus , the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea , dates back 11,000 years. The island is the mythical birthplace of the ancient Greek goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite. Mycenaean Greeks first settled on the island around 1400BC. On July 20, 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus and continues to occupy 37% of the island’s north territory in violation of all international laws. In 2004, The Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union as a full member. From the United States, there are daily flights to the new Larnaka International Airport via most major European gateways For more information, please visit the official Website of the Cyprus Tourism Organization at www.visitcyprus.com
ABOUT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA : The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is North America’s oldest and largest organization devoted to the world of archaeology. The Institute is a nonprofit group founded in 1879 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1906. Today, the AIA has some 200,000 Members belonging to more than 100 societies in the United States, Canada, and overseas. The AIA exists to promote archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past worldwide. The Institute is committed to preserving the world’s archaeological resources and cultural heritage for the benefit of people in the present and in the future.