A destroyed Cyprus airways plane is seen at the war-torn U.N. buffer zone at the abandoned Nicosia airport in divided capital Nicosia, June 12, 2024.
The long-derelict Nicosia International Airport, which has stood unused for more than half a century inside Cyprus’ U.N.-controlled buffer zone, may soon be transformed into a museum under a joint initiative by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
The bi-communal group is awaiting approval from the United Nations and its peacekeeping mission, UNFICYP, to turn the former airport, still functioning as part of the U.N. buffer zone, into a shared meeting point for both communities, according to the media.
Located within the island’s symbolic “Green Line” division, the airport has remained abandoned since the last aircraft from Cyprus Airways landed there decades ago. That historic plane still sits on the runway, untouched.
Three years ago, a mixed group of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, driven by a shared sense of responsibility for Cyprus’ historical and cultural heritage, visited the airport’s interior spaces and operations offices under the leadership of Alexis Sophocleous. They became the first civilians to set foot inside the site since 1974.
During their exploration, they uncovered hundreds of pages of archival material, including valuable documents, flight plans and airline records.
The initiative has since received backing from embassies in Greek Cyprus and international cultural heritage preservation organizations. The team now says it is ready to launch the museum inside the aircraft once U.N. authorization is granted.
Organizers say the project’s goal is to connect past and future, envisioning the museum as a tangible symbol of peace, respect and solidarity. Supporters hope it will allow students, researchers and citizens from across the island to meet again on shared ground under U.N. supervision.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, when Türkiye launched an operation following a Greece-backed coup. Greek Cyprus controls the south, while the north is administered by a Turkish Cypriot state.
The U.N. has maintained a peacekeeping presence on the island since 1964.
Meanwhile, in a separate diplomatic development tied to efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, Turkish Cypriot President Tufan Erhürman and his Greek Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides are scheduled to meet on Feb. 24 to strengthen dialogue and advance what officials describe as the peace process
