Kontea's Memorial for the Killed and Missing

Researcher: Tasoulla Hadjiyanni

Program: Interior Design           

How can refugees use memorial design to foster connections in displacement, instill pride to younger generations, and honor young men killed in action alongside historically excluded populations such as elderly, mentally ill, and disabled women?

In partnership with Kontea’s Municipal Council in Cyprus, Dr. Hadjiyanni undertook the role of a Curator to help lead a community-engaged process for the development of Kontea’s Memorial for the Killed and Missing. The Memorial aims to honor the nine community members killed and missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, instill pride in younger generations, and foster connections among refugees in displacement.

The two-year-long participatory design was centered on reviews of memorials from around the world; a collection of written materials, photographs, and archives to better understand each of the nine persons’ stories; as well as dialogues with among others the families of those murdered and missing, the village’s administration and fund-raising committee, and the Committee on Memorials from the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, and Youth. The resulting proposal is titled “Learn their stories” and includes sculptures from 10 local artists that pay tribute to each of the murdered and missing. Now in the midst of a fundraising campaign, our target is to have the memorial’s inauguration in 2024, on the invasion’s 50th anniversary.