The Service for Overseas Cypriots is moving forward to create a digital library and is in search of a place to establish a Museum for the Cypriot Diaspora, Director of the Service Stavros Epaminondas has told CNA, in an interview in which he analyses the role and the new goals of the Service.
Epaminondas stressed that the main aim of the Service for Overseas Cypriots is to provide guidance and support to the Cypriots all over the word by keeping continuous and close contact with them, explaining that “it has no exclusive jurisdiction or authority to take decisions”.
He said that the number of Cypriots abroad exceeds 500,000, adding that the Cypriot Diaspora is important, not only in size but also in economic power.
“It is important”, he noted, “to ensure that our compatriots living abroad preserve their national identity, religion and cultural heritage and maintain their love and interest in Cyprus”.
For this purpose, he continued, the Service for Overseas Cypriots is taking a series of actions such as hosting Cypriot children from abroad, sending material and supporting cultural events related to Cyprus.
As he said, the Service was established in 1976, two years after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, to address the need to build a communication bridge between the homeland and overseas Cypriots, most of whom immigrated abroad in search of a better life.
Asked about the incentives granted to Cypriots overseas who decide to return home, he said that “existing incentives, which are mainly financial, are considered by them as not satisfactory”.
“There is room for granting more incentives”, he pointed out.
The decision to grant incentives, he explained, was initially taken “to tackle the demographic problem Cyprus was facing due to the large migration flow created after the 1974 war and the arrival of thousands of illegal Turkish settlers in the occupied areas”.
In addition, he said, these measures are to help Overseas Cypriots “to adjust as easily and quickly as possible with the new realities of the Cypriot society”.
Epaminondas said that “it is difficult to know the exact number of the Cypriots returning home from overseas”, adding that “the only number we have corresponds to overseas Cypriots who apply for benefits”.
Asked about the budget of the Service, he said that the amount granted to the Service, which is around 500,000 euro, “could be increased in order to meet its new needs and programmes”.
Epaminondas announced that the Service is moving forward to create a digital library and a Museum for the Cypriot Diaspora, where material related to the life and activities of Cypriots overseas, such as writings, photographs and other documents, would be collected and put at the disposal of researchers.
To this end, he added, the Service is working with the Archbishopric and the State Archives, and it is sponsoring research in cooperation with Universities abroad so as to find and collect such material.
He also referred to current efforts made towards establishing an Overseas Cypriots Service Centre to provide additional help and information to Cypriots abroad on various issues, in cooperation with other government departments.
Furthermore, he noted that employing more staff would make the Service even more effective in assisting overseas Cypriots with their problems and needs.
As he said “among the priorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to enhance the Service with personnel through the employment of new diplomats”.
Referring to the latest conference of overseas Cypriots here, he said they had expressed their satisfaction with the work done by the Service and the efforts made for better addressing their problems.
The Director of the Service clarified that “the agenda of these conferences is set by the Cypriots abroad and not by the Service”.
