The commemorative events on the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus continue onto Sydney this weekend as the community strives to honour all those who fell defending democracy 49 years ago.
The Justice for Cyprus Co-ordinating Committee (ΣΕΚΑ or SEKA) have organised three events this Sunday (July 23) to mark the 49th anniversary of the coup which will be attended by Doxa Komodromou, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Republic of Cyprus.
A memorial service is scheduled to open the day’s activities at 10 am, being held at the Cathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady, of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (242 Cleveland St, Redfern) with Archbishop Makarios set to officiate.
Following this, a wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Cenotaph in Martin Place at 1.30 pm, with free buses organised to take people to the event from the Cyprus Community Club in Stanmore between 12-12.45 pm.
The program closes with an Anti-Occupation gathering, 3.30 p.m., at the Cyprus Community of NSW with speeches and cultural program.
The Deputy Spokesperson is also scheduled this week to be in Canberra wherein she will visit the “Australian War Museum” and have contacts with government officials, as well as meet with members of the South Australia-Cyprus Friendship Parliamentary Group.
Wreaths were laid by members of the clergy, the speakers, representatives of various Greek clubs from across Australia. Photo: Con Deves
Photo: Con Deves
Wreaths were laid by attendees. Photo: Con Deves
This is in line with a series of events that are being held across Australia to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus, including those in Melbourne this past weekend, which Ms Komodromou has been making regular appearances at.
On Saturday 15 July, Ms Komodromou visited the Cyprus Greek Community “Apostolos Andreas” West Sunshine, meeting with president Eleni Christodoulos, and the Community of Cypriots of the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne, where she met with president John (Υιάννης) Christou.
The Deputy Spokesperson gave a speech at an event organised by the Cyprus Community of Melbourne on Sunday 16 July, stating among other things: “We will not grow tired of repeating it: Immediate restart of the Cyprus negotiations”.
On the same day, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Australian Hellenic Memorial on Sunday 16th July, organised by SEKA Victoria, with many officials and dignitaries in attendance, including Ms Komodromou.
General Secretary of SEKA Victoria Pavlos Andronikos said during the ceremony:
“It is our duty to honour these martyrs and heroes, and that is why we are all here today: to lay a wreath for them at this Memorial, and to renew our oath to never forget, to continue our support for the Justice-for-Cyprus Committee, and to keep the vision alive of a Cyprus made whole again.”
Photo: Con Deves
Photo: Con Deves
Photo: Con Deves
Photo: Con Deves
Among those in attendance were the Victorian Minister of Multicultural Affairs, Colin Brooks, Federal Senator Jane Hume, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Antonis Sammoutis and the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis.
Notably, a wreath was laid together by two Hellenic RSL members together: Emanuel Karvelas, President of the Hellenic RSL Sub-Branch and Dionysios Daskalou, a veteran from the 1974 Invasion who was a 20-year-old ΕΛΔΥΚ soldier at the time, and one of the few hundred Greek soldiers and officers of ΕΛΔΥΚ who fought against the Turkish invaders.
Later the same day, a “Concert for Cyprus” took place at the building of the Cypriot Community of Melbourne, with visiting Cypriot musicians Marios Charalambous and Giorgos Timotheou present.
