The 'Carte Postale. EU journey through the lens of time' exhibition has officially opened its doors to passengers at Larnaka International Airport.
The exhibition was inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, in a particularly emotional atmosphere, his participation underlining the importance of the exhibition as a cultural journey through time and European history.
As noted in a press release from airport operators Hermes Airports, "the exhibition hosts rare postcards from the collection of the late Antonis Hadjipanayis, a man who dedicated his life to preserving small but precious moments of European urban memory. Postcards, as carriers of wishes, feelings and culture, unfold the beauty of European cities of the previous century, when images traveled slowly, humanly and with the magic of anticipation."
"As Cyprus prepares to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in January 2026, the exhibition takes on a symbolic dimension: it reminds us that European identity has been built for centuries through exchanges, relationships and stories that transcend borders. Through Antonis Hadjipanayis’ material, the past enters into a dialogue with the European present and future," the press release continues.
The exhibition was curated with sensitivity and respect by the collector's son, Panicos Hadjipanayis, and his grandson, Antonis Hadjipanayis, continuing a family tradition that transforms the love of history into a public cultural asset.
At the opening of the exhibition, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, said, "This exhibition is truly a virtual journey to the beginning of the 20th century, when almost everything was completely different from today. It was then that communication was done through correspondence, literally from hand to hand. Although this way of sending wishes and transferring memories is considered, unfortunately, outdated today, it does not cease to carry a unique charm that is worth remembering for the older generation and for the younger generation to become acquainted with. At the same time, the exhibition, which is organised in collaboration with Hermes Airports, is a beautiful tribute to the thousands of visitors who will come to Cyprus, on the occasion of the upcoming Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union. I congratulate Hermes Airports . Both last year and this year, we will have a historic record in arrivals at our two airports and this is also the result of the close cooperation that exists with the Government. I congratulate Hermes Airports again for the exploitation of this rare material by collector Antonis Hadjipanayis, as well as his son, my friend Panicos, and his grandson Antonis for the initiative and the beautiful idea."
In her opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Hermes Airports, Eleni Kalogirou, noted, “The exhibition we are inaugurating today is not just a collection of postcards but a journey into the soul of Europe. Larnaka Airport is transformed into a living crossroads of European memory and cultural heritage, hosting the precious treasure of the late Antonis Hadjipanayis. This exhibition takes on particular significance as it is being held just three weeks before Cyprus takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. For us at Hermes Airports, it is an honor to offer this cultural window to travelers and the general public, in a space that is a daily meeting point for people, stories and destinations."
Addressing the event, the curator of the exhibition and son of the late Antonis Hadjipanayis, Panicos Hadjipanayis, said, “ It took a lot of searching, through thousands of postcards, to select these 250 that are on display. Searching through Artificial Intelligence, I did not find anything similar. An exhibition of old postcards from all the member countries. I must say that almost from the first moment that I began, with the valuable help of my mother, to locate and archive the personal accounts and documents that my father left us, the first group that was interested — in further collaboration with us — was the Hermes Communications Department. So, when I thought that I could utilise, display, share, through my father’s archive, a small part of his Cypriot presence abroad, the first thing that came to mind was the airport. Today, that wish came true."
