Preserving and Promoting Cypriot Maronite Literary and Linguistic Heritage through the collection, My Heart's Tulips, Της καρδκιάς μου οι τουλίπες Lalenes tel kalbi, Kalbimin laleleri.

Narrative

My Heart's Tulips is the first published poetry collection by Cypriot Maronite poet Napoleon Terzis from Kormakitis, the only remaining Cypriot Maronite village where Sanna (Cypriot Arabic), a UNESCO-designated severely endangered language, continues to be spoken. Developed through a co-produced multilingual translation, publication, and heritage initiative involving the poet, community members, translators, educators, researchers, cultural organisations, and the Cypriot Maronite parliamentary representative, the project contributed to the preservation, visibility, and dissemination of the literary, linguistic, and cultural heritage of the Cypriot Maronite community.

The collection documents the lived experiences, memories, displacement histories, cultural traditions, and linguistic practices of a community that has frequently remained marginalised within dominant narratives of Cyprus. Published in Sanna, Cypriot Greek, Cypriot Turkish, and English, the project created new opportunities for public engagement with endangered language heritage and provided a platform through which community members could represent their own histories, experiences, and cultural knowledge.

Supported and funded by the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, the publication was distributed to approximately 1,000 schools and to libraries across Cyprus. This ensured broad access for students, educators, researchers, and the wider public and significantly increased awareness of Cypriot Maronite history, culture, literature, and language. The project contributed to educational, cultural, and heritage-preservation initiatives while supporting efforts to record, revitalise, and transmit endangered linguistic and cultural knowledge to future generations.

Significance
- First published poetry collection by a Cypriot Maronite poet.
-Increased visibility of the Cypriot Maronite community within Cyprus and internationally.
-Supported the preservation and promotion of Sanna (Cypriot Arabic), a severely endangered language.
-Preserved community histories, memories, and cultural traditions through multilingual literary production.
-Created a co-produced translation and heritage initiative involving community members, educators, translators, writers, researchers, and cultural stakeholders.
-Contributed to cultural heritage preservation, literary education, and public understanding of Cyprus's diverse cultural landscape.
-Enabled community self-representation through literary and cultural production.
-Supported the documentation and dissemination of an understudied literary tradition and endangered cultural heritage.

Evidence
-Funded and supported by the Deputy Ministry of Culture, Republic of Cyprus.
-Distributed to approximately 1,000 schools across Cyprus.
-Distributed to public, school, and community libraries across the island.
-Multilingual publication in Sanna (Cypriot Arabic), Cypriot Greek, Cypriot Turkish, and English.
-Collaboration with the Cypriot Maronite parliamentary representative, translators, educators, researchers, and community stakeholders.
-Educational and cultural dissemination activities associated with the publication.

Impact status	Open
Category of impact	Cultural Impact, Educational Impact, Social Impact, Political Impact