Rhodes International Culture & Heritage Society (short: RICHES)
A non-governmental organisation, based in Rhodes, Greece and a registered charity (non-profit) under Greek law.
As the abbreviation of our name already indicates, we focus on the cultural 'riches' of Rhodes and we do so with an international and multicultural point of view. The unique diversity of the cultural and historical heritage of Rhodes is the result of centuries of cross-cultural influences reflecting the strategic position of Rhodes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Although an island, Rhodes was never isolated. Only in Rhodes one can find classical remains, Byzantine churches, Gothic palaces, Ottoman mosques, Sefardic synagogues, Levantine villa's and Italian colonial buildings together on the same surface.
RICHeS initiates a variety of events, programs and projects intended to stimulate study and knowledge of this unique heritage and to help preserve it for future generations.
Rhodes, a shared heritage
The town and island of Rhodes possess a unique historical and cultural heritage. Blessed with a mild climate, fertile soil, ample sources of fresh water and densely forested, ancient Rhodes attracted settlers from many corners of the Mediterranean.
Strategically positioned between Africa, Europe and Asia the island developed early on into a hub of maritime trade routes and a cultural crossroads between east and west. With the passage of time, successive and often overlapping cultural, religious and ethnic identities resulted in an interconnected cultural heritage which is both characterized by its diversity and by its distinctly Rhodian character.
To varying degrees, many cultures, either through military conquest or more peaceful means, have contributed to the history of the island and left their mark: Minoans, Phoenicians, ancient Greeks and Romans, Egyptians, Byzantines, Hospitaller knights, Sephardic Jews, Ottomans, Levantines and Italians. It is their combined heritage which makes up the rich cultural mosaic of Rhodes. A heritage that is shared by many different people in different countries and that connects them with each other and with Rhodes.
The Rhodes International Culture & Heritage Society (RICHeS) is a non-profit organisation established for the purpose of promoting this heritage and knowledge thereof to locals and visitors ('sharing') and thus to help preserve it for future generations. The RICHeS slogan expresses our philosophy: 'Rhodes, a shared heritage'.