Since its establishment, Near East University has undertaken it as a mission not only to ensure the highest quality in education, science and health but also to realize great breakthroughs to open new horizons for our country by eliminating all barriers and shortcomings.

Being aware that museums have a crucial role in preserving and reflecting the historical, cultural and artistic accumulation for all generations, Near East University attaches a special importance on museums to add vividness and color to social and cultural life. Aiming to add a new dimension to the culture and art life of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the university realized the groundbreaking ceremony of Cyprus Modern Art Museum with the participation of TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı.

Cyprus Modern Arts Museum will play a key role in promoting our country’s artistic creativity to wider populations as well as in sharing the cultural identity with international art environments and ensuring the integrity of the society with art. Near East University adopted the creative and inventive modern architecture for the museum to be situated on 20,000 square meter area. Cyprus Modern Arts Museum has been designed so as to reflect all aspects of modern architecture. The museum will house 14 different halls including 4 permanent collection halls, 3 sculpture-installation exhibition halls, 2 photography exhibition halls, conference and Cine-Vision halls. The Museum will also house studios and labs for analyzing and restoring rare artworks, photo-studios and experts' offices, meeting rooms, repair and maintenance workshops, air-conditioned storage system for the preservation of special artworks, fully equipped art library and archive.

The Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of Near East University  released that the foundations of new Cyprus Modern Arts Museum, which will be the first of its kind in the country, have been laid with a glorious ceremony participated by TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı, TRNC Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman, TURKSOY Secretary General Professor Düsen Kaseinov, Gagavuzia Vice President Vitali Ulah, Representatives from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, TRNC National Educatioın and Culture Minister Cemal Özyiğit, TRNC Tourism and Environmental Minister Fikri Ataoğlu, MPs, Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel, Near East University Board of Trustee Chairman Associate Professor İrfan Günsel, University of Kyrenia Founding Rector Cemre Günsel Haskasap, rectors, vice rectors, deans, artists, invited guests and Near East University staff.

The ground breaking ceremony began with standing a moment in silence and followed by national anthem. Then, a section of valuable art-works was presented through Cine-Vision. Near East University Rector Professor Ümit Hassan, Near East University Board of Trustees Chairman Associate Professor İrfan Günsel, Gagauzia Vice President Vitali Ulah, TURKSOY Secretary General Düzen Kaseinov, TRNC National Education and Culture Minister Cemal Özyiğit, TRNC Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman and TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı delivered a speech respectively. Following the opening remarks, plaque presentations were realized and then 'lay the foundation button" was pressed.

Prof. Dr. Ümit Hassan: "We Will Reach out Our Roots and Future By Means of Arts"
Highlighting the commitment of Near East University to exerting effort and mobilizing all possibilities for great breakthroughs, NEU Rector Professor Ümit Hassan stated that Cyprus Modern Arts Museum was a great project launched towards opening new horizons for our country. "The Museum will reflect all aspects of the modern art, particularly the creativity of our people. The museum will provide not only a new dimension to valuing the arts and culture but also a platform to share these values with the world. As art adds vividness and color to social life and contributes to the wellbeing of a society, we attach great importance on young people's interest in arts. With an understanding that integrates modern art with the creativity of our people and local culture, we want to reach out our roots and leave marks that will be a source of inspiration for future generations”.

Stating that Near East University was a leading university not only with its scientific organizations but also with its sports, cultural and artistic activities, Professor Hassan underlined that Near East University exhibited important performances in the world of art with multi-dimensional displays, performing arts, exhibitions and educational activities.

"Driven by his deep loyalty to his country, Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel with his prescient vision and initiative ensured the representation of our country's cultural and artistic heritage by undertaking the idea and aesthetic evaluation of the Modern Arts Museum and by attaching a special importance on the identity, periods, écoles and styles of the paintings to be exhibited in the museum.

Underlining the necessity of assessing Cyprus Modern Arts Museum in a wide spectrum, Professor Hassan stated that the museum would undertake a significant mission in establishing cooperation among Turkic speaking people in the fields of culture and arts. "The Cyprus Modern Arts Museum is basically in a position to feature and unveil the art works created by the talented artists from Turkic speaking countries to develop and to maintain the common civil heritage of the Turkic World. The Museum will feature not only the paintings drawn in tens of years but also paintings waving hands from past to present and future" said he.

The Arts Center Comes Into Service...
Near East University Rector Professor Ümit Hassan stated that Near East University Arts Center would come into service on 9 November, 2018. He also expressed that the center to be situated on 15,000 square meter indoor area would house a spacious foyer, collection halls, repair and maintenance workshops, art library and archive. "Besides, works towards completing Dr. Suat Günsel Mosque and 14-storey Rectorate Building are going on." noted he.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel: We Are Constructing a Touchstone for the Struggle of Turkish Cypriot People to Take Place Freely in the International Arena"
Underlining that Cyprus Modern Arts Museum would be a novel monumental work to be introduced to the country and the world by Near East Family, NEU Board of Trustees Chairman Associate Professor İrfan Günsel stated that it was a project to connect our past to present and future with each other.

"A nation deprived of art has lost one of its life veins* and what’s more "A nation devoid of art and artists cannot have a full existence", Near East University has adopted these sayings of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as a principle. Being committed to mobilizing all its possibilities for the wellbeing of the people of this country, Near East University is coming up with a monumental work, namely Cyprus Arts Museum. This monumental work will constitute a new touchstone for the struggle of Turkish Cypriot people to root on this land and exist freely in the international arena”.

Underlining the crucial role of art museums in promoting artistic values across the country and the world, Associate Professor Günsel stated that promoting Turkish Cypriot art and providing our country's talented artists with opportunity to exhibit their art-works are amongst the overriding aims of the museum. He added that the Museum would feature the art-works of the painters, who have pioneered and contributed to the development of art from the beginning of Turkish Cypriot art to present.

“With the quality education that we offer, with the health facilities that we have established all over the country, with outstanding accomplishments in sports, with resounding achievements in the scientific world and with social-benefit oriented projects, we are carrying the flag that liberates our country in all domains. And now, by establishing this museum, we aim to address the soul of our people and people of the world and make their hearts beating for arts. With our projects in the field of technology and industry, with our robots, with our brand electrical-car GÜNSEL, and with our high-end medical technology, we have become a family that carries the flag of the fight given for technological and industrial freedom of our country and our people. From the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, we will share the art with the entire world through Cyprus Modern Arts Museum which will be one of the most important building-blocks of our country's social and individual liberation processes.

Under the slogan 'Living a continental life on the island', Near East University, which has a well-rooted tradition of 30 years in education, has come up with another first. Since its establishment, Near East University has set it as a principle to carry out cultural and artistic activities with scientific studies and social-benefit-oriented projects in a holistic manner. Cyprus Modern Arts Museum, of which we are realizing the ground breaking ceremony today, will be one of the most significant monuments demonstrating Near East University's mission to own not only our history, education, and health but also the values of our culture and arts” said he.

"An Important Day for the World and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"
Gagauzia Republic Vice President Vitali Ulah said that the groundbreaking ceremony, which he was pleased to attend, was important for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the world.

Drawing attention to the importance of e-culture, Vitali Ulah expressed that cultures were a driven power in the development of countries. He added that there would be paintins of the talented artists from Moldova and Gagauizia at the museum to be opened. Underlining that the Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel was a very outstanding fellow of them, Ulah stated that they had a well-established cooperation with Near East University which granted scholarship for 10 Gagauz students every year. Ulah extended his appreciations to Near East University for their support and concluded his remarks by presenting the respects and greetings on behalf of Gagauz people.

Prof. Dr. Düsen Kaseinov: "Cyprus Modern Arts Museum Will Lead the Transfer of Cultural Richness Through Arts..."
In his remarks, the Secretary General of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) Professor Dusen Kaseinov voiced his satisfaction of participating the ground breaking ceremony of Cyprus Modern Arts Museum, which was launched by Near East University in order to convey the art to art enthusiasts, to share the cultural identity with the art medium and to ensure the integration of the society with art.

“We appreciate and enthusiastically support this initiative, which will be instrumental in promoting the museum culture, the survival of this culture, and the development of the museum-community relationship. The museum, which will be situated at Near East University, the distinguished university of Cyprus, has meaning not only for TRNC but also for the Turkic world and the world. We believe that the world heritage will be preserved and the tourism of the country will peak in virtue of this initiative. I am grateful to the people of art, science and culture who will provide contribution to the art institution. Congrats to the Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ. Günsel, who exerts outstanding efforts in the field of education and science for development welfare. I wish the museum will be useful in promoting arts and transferring our artistic and cultural heritage to next generations" noted he.

Minister Cemal Özyiğit: "Cyprus Modern Art Museum Will Be a World Brand"
Expressing his happiness of participating in a nice and significant event, National Education and Culture Minister Cemal Özyiğit stated that they were witnessing a new example demonstrating what Turkish Cypriots were capable to do and how big and wide they could dream. "The founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel always comes up with great breakthroughs and leaves his mark on the firsts of TRNC. By overlapping his dreams with the dreams of the society, he always steers the wheel towards realizing resounding global accomplishments symbolizing the existence of Turkish Cypriot community. This is of great importance for our country.

Stating that the museum will be a very significant artistic ground featuring art-works created not only by local artists but also by talented artists from Turkic speaking countries in different geographies, Minister Özyiğit underlined that new Cyprus Modern Art Museum, which would be a center displaying the art-works of the artists coming from the same race but living in different geographies, would play a pioneer role in terms of identifying our common aspects and differences, fusing them together, digging them in our memories and transferring them to future generations. "Thus, future generations will be shaped within the awareness of their cultural and artistic heritage and maintain their cultural development in this way. Congrats to Near East University" said he.

Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman: "This Project is a Very Important Breakthrough in Increasing the Visibility of Turkish Cypriot people at the International Arena"
"Opening an art museum in Cyprus was the dream of the artists and art lovers for decades, now, this dream is coming true with this groundbreaking ceremony of Cyprus Modern Arts Museum. Laying the foundations of the museum is a comforting event on behalf of our people.

When the Museum comes into service, it will provide our artists and Turkic world artists with opportunity to exhibit their valuable art-works, including rare artworks, paintings and TURKSOY collection. This is a gigantic step taken towards not only laying a claim on our cultural and artistic heritage and conveying this heritage to the future generations but also demonstrating the world what Turkish Cypriot people are capable to create in the art of painting and sculpture. Besides, the tourists visiting our country will have the opportunity to visit the museum and get an idea about our cultural and artistic heritage” noted he.

Referring to the importance of sustaining economic and cultural development together in a holistic manner, Erhürman pointed out that the breakthrough was carried forward with the contributions and accomplishments of the Near East University in the cultural, artistic, sports and scientific field.

Underlining that it had become obvious that it was possible to overcome the barriers with breakthroughs in sports, arts, culture and science although, in the conditions that Cyprus problem could not be resolved, the political visibility was prevented, Prime Minister Erhürman said: “Sports, arts, culture and science know no boundaries. The world championship of Near East University's robotic soccer team on the international arena demonstrates that political barriers are no big matter. The achievements of the individual athletes are obvious. Our artists involving in the art of painting and sculpture showed successfully that political limits were out of the point. This groundbreaking ceremony is a gigantic breakthrough aiming at increasing the visibility of the Turkish Cypriot people at the international arena. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the Near East family. "

President Mustafa Akıncı: "The Museum Will Become an Important Attraction Center For Tourism ..."
Underlining that they were at an important starting point, President Akıncı stated that Cyprus Modern Arts Museum would be an important attraction center for societies from the outside world. President Akıncı highlighted that the Museum would not only be an opportunity offered to our people but also an important attraction center in terms of tourism. "Painting and arts museums are amongst the center of visits in major cities. Cyprus Modern Arts Museum will also be a center of attraction for societies coming from outside world, other than our own people” said he.

Expressing that Cyprus Modern Arts Museum could accommodate not only social scale activities but also the events seen in many important world cities, President Akıncı voiced his belief that the Museum would provide a unique environment for artists to create more products.

Stating that Near East University had made everyone proud by offering vast opportunities to public, society, young people and students coming from third countries, President Akıncı underlined that Near East University had also created significant infrastructures enabling the society to carry out cultural and artistic activities.

President Akıncı expressed his satisfaction of attending the groundbreaking ceremony and concluded his remarks by wishing good use of the museum.

Following the speeches, plaques were presented to those contributed to the creation of the museum. Following the plaque presentation "lay the foundation button" was pressed and the ceremony came to an end.