Andros Pavlides, creator, historian and director, passed away on Tuesday night at the age of 79, it was announced on Wednesday.

He was born in Kilani in 1946 and was a trained architect and member of the Cyprus architects and engineers association.

But he was to work little in this field, and in 1968 he went to CyBC working as a director and producer until his retirement in 2006.

Pavlides represented the CyBC in international conventions abroad and directed a wide variety of TV programmes, distinguishing himself in the field of documentaries, directing over 150, including four series on the history of Cyprus.

The series “Martiries” is his most prominent work. He both wrote and directed the project.

He wrote several plays, most of which were also adapted into radio productions, and dozens of his sketches were broadcasted from CyBC.

President Nikos Christodoulides in a written statement on Wednesday said Pavlides left a permanent mark on the culture of Cyprus.

Chritsodoulides noted that he is deeply saddened by the passing of Pavlides, “a multifaceted personality who has left his mark on language, arts and the culture of the island”.

“Pavlides, as a writer, playwriter, historian, painter, director and creator of the Cypriot encyclopedia, left a valuable legacy for the future generations of the country, and his loss leaves an irreplaceable void,” he said.