Fanos Theofanous, President of the Cyprus Community of Melbourne, made a heartfelt appeal to the Greek community of Melbourne, urging them to demand justice for Cyprus this year during the National Anniversary celebrations last Sunday.
He stressed that the 50th anniversary of the occupation of the northern part of Cyprus is a crucial moment for the community to unite and advocate for the long-awaited reunification of the island.
Theofanous announced that the Greek community will have significant opportunities to demonstrate its support for Cyprus at events scheduled for July.
Additionally, he highlighted that Cypriot entities will march with a banner demanding justice for Cyprus during the national anniversary parade.
During the event at the Community’s premises, Niki Farfara-Paschou, Ourania Papageorgiou, and Peristera Papageorgiou, educators and authors, collaborated to bring to light the heartbreaking story of Cyprus in the bilingual children’s book, ‘Anna’s Stories: 50 Years Have Passed…’
Emmanouel Kakavelakis, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, also attended the event and remarked in his address that it was not merely a book presentation but a significant production.
Among the keynote speakers were (in order of appearance):
Fanos Theofanous (President of the Cypriot Community)
Stavros Nicolaou, Deputy High Commissioner of Cyprus
Peristera Papageorgiou, digital editing/electronic pagination
Ourania Papageorgiou, illustrator
Niki Farfara-Paschou, author
Christina Soumi, Katerina Poutachidou, Angelina Dimitrakopoulou, book presentation and theatre
Irene Beka, song – Moments of the invasion
Pavlos Andronikos, song – You will see
Maro Nicolaou, Poem – Messages of Peace
Pavlos Andronikos and Rhiannon, song – Candles
Angeliki Kosti, Poem – Dancing on Shards
Loizos Evripidou and Dimitris Karvelis, song – The Enemies Entered the City
Tavitha Bouraki, song – Golden Green Leaf
Emmanuel Kakavelakis (Consul General of Greece)
The event also featured theatrical performances, and song performances that deeply resonated with the audience.
PRESENTING THE BOOK
The book is a touching tribute to the 50 years since the illegal Turkish invasion and the ongoing occupation of Cyprus, highlighting the history through the eyes of a child.
The main character of the book is George, a friend of Little Anna from Cyprus.
Through George’s eyes, readers enter the world of Cyprus before and after the Turkish invasion.
The book mentions George’s uncle, Andreas, who has been missing since 1974 when he was just 18 years old.
At the event, just before the official program began, young Giannis Kalamaras set the tone for the event by embodying George from Anna’s group, who was searching for his uncle.
“I want to thank everyone who attended the presentation of the children’s book and showed their support for the struggle that Cyprus is waging to be liberated from the Turkish invasion and occupation for the past 50 years,” author Niki Farfara-Paschou told Neos Kosmos.
“As I mentioned in the presentation, along with Peristera Papageorgiou and Ourania Papageorgiou, we published this book, which was inspired by the painful story of my brother Andreas Farfaras, Konstantinos. It is also a candle that burns, which sends – we believe – a message of optimism from distant Australia that the struggle continues for Cyprus to become a free, united, non-aligned, and democratic country, a common homeland for all its inhabitants, Greek Cypriots, and Turkish Cypriots.”
The author went on to thank Euterpe Terzoudi, Dr. Chrysoula Papas, and Pavlos Andronikos who contributed to the publication either with corrections or translations.
“As an illustrator, reading Niki’s text, images formed in my mind. Colorful scenes. I opened my palette of colors and started to capture the images on paper. During the coloring sketches, I don’t know how, my hand started to choose black and white shades. My dramatic scenes came out black and white and with a different technique,” Ourania Papageorgiou told Neos Kosmos.
“We all know that when we take an illustrated book, we expect to see the same style on each page. In this book, my emotions guided me, and so the alternation of painting style was automatic. Personally, the words and images of the testimony I read touched my soul, and the complete work that one will see when reading the book is the result of my emotional expression. Knowing that it is a book for children – the tragedy and violence experienced by the Cypriots are adapted to a milder form for obvious reasons,” Papageorgiou continued thanking the author for the opportunity.
In his speech (apart from his song performances), Pavlos Andronikos emphasised:
“Today, here, we remember and honor those who suffered and died in the struggle, but we should also remember that the struggle is not over. The liberation of Cyprus, all of Cyprus, calls us. It demands our presence. This year marks 50 years since our island was brutally divided in two. It is a wound that we feel deeply. It is a wound that we want to heal. It is a wound that must be healed for the sake of all those who lost their lives in the struggle, so that their sacrifices do not become in vain.”
