Sixty-six years after its proclamation, the Republic of Cyprus remains the strongest institutional foundation of our struggle for freedom and the reunification of our homeland, said Deputy Minister of Culture Klea Papaellina.
In her remarks yesterday at the event “Cyprus – Asia Minor: From Constantinople to Mesaoria,” held at the Square of the Cathedral of St. Barnabas in Nicosia, the Deputy Minister, representing the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Christodoulides, said that the founding of the Republic of Cyprus sealed the struggles for freedom and, when it was put to the harshest test, it endured thanks to our people’s determination to defend their independence and sovereignty.
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“The Republic of Cyprus’s strong position in Europe and the international community serves a purpose that remains immediate and deeply human: the liberation and reunification of our homeland,” she said.
Referring to the people of Mesaoria, she said that, as with all our displaced compatriots, independence coexists with the experience of loss—with the villages where they cannot live, the churches where they cannot worship freely, and the family homes to which they cannot return.
“It is precisely this reality that gives the event special significance. The Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus and the Office for Occupied Parishes and Communities have chosen to honor the day of the Republic of Cyprus by highlighting a route that connects ConstantinopleConstantinople and Asia Minor with Cyprus and Mesoria. A route of historical, spiritual, and cultural ties, which has been reflected in liturgical tradition, musical composition, dance, and the daily life of our communities,” she noted.
Ms. Papaellina emphasized that “as the Republic of Cyprus, we are continuing, with steadfastness and determination, our efforts to end the occupation and achieve a sustainable and workable solution to the Cyprus problem, based on United Nations resolutions, international law, and the principles and values of the European Union,” adding that this is our duty to all the citizens of our country.
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