Minister of European Integration Nemanja Starović, Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia Andreas von Beckerath, and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Belgrade Giulia Sykopetrites today opened the 29th photography exhibition “Applied Nostalgia: Belgrade – Nicosia” at Europe House in Belgrade, organised on the occasion of the Republic of Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2026.
Opening the exhibition, Minister Starović pointed out that the “Applied Nostalgia” project, organised by the Ministry of European Integration for the previous 18 years, represented an example of successful cultural cooperation between Serbia and the Member States of the European Union, confirming that European cooperation was not merely a political process, but also a way in which people, cultures and their shared values came together.
The Minister stressed that relations between Serbia and the Republic of Cyprus were traditionally friendly and based on mutual trust, respect for international law, and reciprocal support for the preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity. He particularly thanked the Republic of Cyprus for its continuous support to Serbia’s European path.
Speaking about the European integration process, Starović recalled that during the recent meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union in Nicosia, it had once again been confirmed that enlargement policy remains high on the European Union’s agenda, and that Serbia remained firmly committed to implementing reforms and progressing towards EU membership.
“The EU was built precisely on the idea that, through our diversity, through different languages, histories and landscapes, we recognise one another. There is a thread that connects us. Applied Nostalgia gives that thread a visual form. It reminds us that Belgrade and Nicosia are two expressions of a shared European spirit, each irreplaceable and each grounded in encounters with others. Together, these threads form a unique European tapestry,” Ambassador von Beckerath stressed.
Giulia Sykopetrites from the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus thanked the Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Serbia for organising such an inspiring exhibition, promoting cultural cooperation between Serbia and the EU Member States. Cyprus is truly honoured to participate in this project during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Serbia and Cyprus share a strong friendship and many common characteristics, with deep historical roots and shared cultural traditions. She noted that photography had a unique ability to reveal not only what made people different but also what connected them. The pictures from Belgrade and Nicosia speak the same quiet language of two cities that have survived everything, and are still, unmistakably, alive and looking towards the future. She expressed the hope that the exhibition, which would also be presented in Nicosia, would inspire all visitors to reflect not only on nostalgia and memory but also on friendship and shared European values.
One of the authors of the exhibition, Serbian photographer Nemanja Jovanović, thanked the Ministry of European Integration for the opportunity to participate in the “Applied Nostalgia” project, emphasising that initiatives such as that represented an important opportunity for photographers. He added that it had been particularly valuable for him to visit Nicosia and capture the details and atmosphere of the city through photography, expressing the hope that he had succeeded in conveying part of that impression through the exhibited works.
The authors of the exhibition are Serbian photographer Nemanja Jovanović and Cypriot photographer George Charalambous, who through their photographs create a visual dialogue between Belgrade and Nicosia.
During his stay in Nicosia, Jovanović captured scenes, people, and atmospheres that reminded him of Belgrade, while in Belgrade, Charalambous photographed the city and its inhabitants from the perspective of a nostalgic observer. Their photographs, created in different environments, come together in a unique exhibition exploring the similarities, emotions, and everyday life of the two cities.
The exhibition “Applied Nostalgia: Belgrade – Nicosia”, organised by the Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Serbia and the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Belgrade, will remain open at Europe House until 24 May, and will also open in Nicosia by the end of June.
