Never mind that the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, has been naked for centuries; now eyebrows are being raised at the usage of her classic nude form on biometric passports.
The passports are being issued on the Greek isle of Cyprus where, according to legend, the Goddess first rose from the sea off the island’s coast. The image of Aphrodite is widely accepted as the official symbol of the eastern Mediterranean travel destination—it goes pretty well with their “Love Cyprus” tourism motto—so it makes perfect sense that they’d stamp their tourists’ papers with the timeless figure. But some diplomats are saying that she might cause problems in other countries.
“They are worried that civilians and diplomats could get into trouble, particularly traveling to very conservative Islamic countries,” the island’s Phileleftheros daily newspaper commented. The newspaper also made it clear that it’s too late to change the passport stamps.
“There isn't a problem with the passports,” said Interior minister Neoclis Sylikioti. “They have already been issued and are already in use by the public.” So love triumphs after all—especially beautiful nude depictions of it.
The passports are being issued on the Greek isle of Cyprus where, according to legend, the Goddess first rose from the sea off the island’s coast. The image of Aphrodite is widely accepted as the official symbol of the eastern Mediterranean travel destination—it goes pretty well with their “Love Cyprus” tourism motto—so it makes perfect sense that they’d stamp their tourists’ papers with the timeless figure. But some diplomats are saying that she might cause problems in other countries.
“They are worried that civilians and diplomats could get into trouble, particularly traveling to very conservative Islamic countries,” the island’s Phileleftheros daily newspaper commented. The newspaper also made it clear that it’s too late to change the passport stamps.
“There isn't a problem with the passports,” said Interior minister Neoclis Sylikioti. “They have already been issued and are already in use by the public.” So love triumphs after all—especially beautiful nude depictions of it.
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