Modern Greek Studies Association

Sylvia Ioannou Foundation

History and Description

The Sylvia Ioannou Foundation was established in 2009. Mrs. Sylvia Ioannou (the Founder) started to collect manuscripts and rare books relating to the island of Cyprus in the late 1970s. The Collection has by now grown to include more than 2.000 rare books and 600 maps relating to the island and to the wider Mediterranean and Near Eastern geographical regions. The collection’s strengths are in the fields of archaeology, history, politics and travellers’ accounts from the end of the 15th century to the present day. The foundation’s website already hosts a selection of digitized items from the wider collection, which is constantly being updated.

Strengths

Our collection ranks among the finest of those devoted to the island of Cyprus, and most likely is the best rare book and map library on Cyprus in private hands. This thematic emphasis constitutes one important characteristic, coupled by the presence of numerous rare items. Another outstanding feature is the collection’s emphasis on traveller’s accounts to Cyprus, the Levant and the wider Mediterranean world. Finally, our holdings are currently undergoing high quality digitization, thus making it readily available for use. It should be noted that more than ten different languages are represented in the collection, thus securing it a place among the most diverse Cyprological collections in the world.

Additional Information

The offers Scholarships for post-graduate studies in the fields of the Humanities and Social Sciences on subjects related to the island of Cyprus. The competition is annual and the deadline is normally at the end of April each year unless announced otherwise on the Foundation’s website.

The amount of the scholarship award is fixed, regardless of tuition, and will cover up to three (3) years, at a maximum. The number of available scholarships and the amount awarded will depend on demonstrated interest and the Foundation's current financial abilities.