The Greek American community will organise various events to mark the 35th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and condemn Turkey’s continuing illegal occupation of the island’s northern part.
On Sunday, July 19, Archbishop Demetrios will conduct a memorial service for the victims of the July 1974 military coup against the government of the late Archbishop Makarios and the Turkish invasion which followed, at Saint Catherine’s church, and then he will deliver a speech.
The consul generals of Greece and Cyprus and Cyprus Federation of America and International Coordinating Committee — Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA) representatives will all address a short event to be followed.
On Monday, July 20, the Cyprus Federation of America and PSEKA will host a cultural event in Astoria to include songs, poetry and testimony reading. Archbishop Demetrios and Cypriot and Greek diplomats will address the event.
The protection of Cyprus’ cultural heritage, which is in peril due the continuing Turkish occupation, will be the focus of various events to be hosted on 21, 22 and 23 of July in Washington.
On Tuesday, July 21, the Helsinki Commission of Congress (consisting of Senate and House of Representatives members) will host a briefing at Congress with the issue of “Cyprus’s religious and cultural heritage in peril”.
The panelists of the briefing include Charalampos Chotzakoglou, Professor of Byzantine Art and Archaeology, Klaus Gallas, Art Historian and Byzantine expert Michael Jansen, author of “War and Cultural Heritage: Cyprus after the 1974 Turkish Invasion.”
A report prepared by the Law Library of Congress, “Destruction of Cultural Property in the Northern Part of Cyprus and Violations of International Law” will be released at the briefing.
A press release issued yesterday by Senator Benjamin Cardin, Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Co-Chairman Congressman Alcee Hastings, says that “the 35-year-long artificial division of Cyprus has taken a tremendous toll on the lives of the people of that country. Despite clear international commitments on the importance of preserving religious and cultural heritage, hundreds of churches, chapels and monasteries in the northern part of Cyprus remain in peril. Thousands of icons, manuscripts, frescos, and mosaics have been looted from sites in northern Cyprus — many ending up on international auction blocks.”
The impetus to hold this briefing was given after on the spot finding by senior members of Congress, who have recently visited Cyprus, of the extent of the destruction of the Cypriot cultural heritage in the occupied territories.
Some of them spoke to the MPs with anxiety about the loot of the sacred places of worship in the occupied territories.
Similar lectures on the destruction of the Cypriot cultural heritage in the occupied areas will be held on July 22, at the US Inter-religious Commission on July 23 at the distinguished Hudson Institute.
