In 2011, a monument to Yuri Gagarin was installed in the municipal park of Nicosia, Cyprus, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first human flight into space. Gagarin visited Cyprus as part of his world tour and was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Famagusta and Limassol. The monument was erected in Nicosia because it is home to the airport where the cosmonaut once landed. The bronze statue of Gagarin in a spacesuit was created by Russian sculptor Vladimir Usov. The installation of the monument was initiated by the friendship society "Cyprus, Russia."

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the governments and parliaments of Cyprus and Russia, ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine Vyacheslav Shumskikh and Boris Gomenyuk, as well as the mayor of Nicosia, Constantinos Yorkatzis.

The head of the Russia-Cyprus Friendship Society, Charis Trasu, noted at the opening that the ceremony symbolizes important and great achievements, such as Gagarin's feat and the exploration of space, serving as an example for common goals in the development of humanity.