Today marks 35 years since the Cypriot invasion by Turkey, yet it is hard to determine how relevant this issue is to young Greek Cypriot people born and raised in Australia.
“I don’t think it is a concern to most people in this generation [third], especially those who are not from families who are refugees or do not plan to travel or live there,” says Angelica Yianoulatos, a 22-year-old organiser of the Cypriot Young Professionals youth group in Melbourne.
“But at the same time it is extremely relevant to all Hellenes as what happened was a violation of human rights. For 30 years people couldn’t cross the border.
“It’s sad and people don’t realise the restriction on freedom unless they travel over there and see what’s happening.”
Chris Callas, a 21-year-old student whose grandparents migrated to Australia prior to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus does not see the invasion as “super relevant” but still maintains a stance on the reunification.
“I know that certain parties are trying to reunite Cyprus and it’s going slowly because of egos. There is no point in having a divided country; you can see that in North and South Korea.”
Unlike Callas, Yianoulatos participated in commemorative marches on Friday.
The Cyprus issue may not be in the forefront of young people’s minds, however Vice President of the Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Tony Kyriacou says that as long as Cyprus remains divided, the questions as to why and how will always remain.
“Such emotions of expression from second and third generation Cypriot Australians have been infrequently and indirectly expressed and generally have been noticed through the means and competitiveness of sporting events,” he says.
Youth events such as these are run by NEPOMAK Australia, which is the umbrella organisation for Cypriot youth groups in Australia.
NEPOMAK president, Terry Asiliou, 24, says that his organisation aims to preserve Cypriot history not only through social events but through the Discover Cyprus program, which sends young people to Cyprus.
Although both Asiliou and Yianoulatos acknowledge to the challenges of gathering Greek-Cypriot youth together in the first instance.
Asiliou says that it is hard to engage younger people in commemoration activities and Yianoulatos says that the Cypriot youth group in Melbourne is not as active as it used to be.
“It could be that people do not have a need to seek that community feeling,” she says.
“Either they have a language barrier and have lost connection, or they have such an overwhelming influence at home and in their every day lives that they don’t need to seek it.”
Mr Kyriacou says that the Cypriot community may have to revisit the current channels of promoting cultural activities with a focus on engaging youth interests.
He acknowledges that young people have several alternatives to Cypriot youth participation and that encouraging participation should be about, “earning their trust and confidence to offer their time.”
“I am confident that the means of family interactions, social networks and the internet, notwithstanding the continuous thirst to visit Cyprus, shall provide the platforms for future generation Cypriot Australians to maintain recognition and differentiate their Cypriot culture from the broader Australian multicultural communities.”