His first periodic exhibition on “Cyprus: 50 years of Turkish invasion and occupation. Still in possession, still in the division”, he hosts the Refugee Hellenism Museum at the OPAP Arena, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary.
Through a series of photographic and audio documents, the Museum administration and the AEK administration wanted to highlight the painful journey of Cypriot Hellenism, thus paying the slightest tribute to the victims of this tragedy.
During the inauguration that took place yesterday, Monday, welcoming guests and introducing the theme of the evening, the general director of the Museum Efi Mavropoulou highlighted that “fifty years is a long time for Cyprus to remain divided and occupied” .
“Fifty years, however, are too short to be forgotten. We want to remember, not just to remember the tragedy or to constantly scratch a wound, but to heal that wound, restoring justice and seeking a fair and sustainable solution.”
The Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus, Stavros Augustidis, after thanking the administration of the Refugee Hellenism Museum and the administration of PAE AEK for this initiative, emphasized, among other things, the importance of this anniversary saying:
“Although 50 years have passed since the Turkish invasion, the memories remain very vivid as Cyprus still bleeds from the deep trauma of the invasion and its tragic consequences.”
Holy. Augustidis expressed the gratitude of the Cypriot people to Greece and Hellenism throughout the world, as it supports the efforts made by Cyprus for the liberation and reunification of the island, and added: “memory is pain, but at the same time it is a source of strength, vigilance and struggle”.
The inauguration was attended by the Metropolitan of Nea Ionia, Philadelphia, Heraklion and Chalkidonos Gabriel, the president of PAE AEK Evangelos Aslanidis, Polys Hatziioannou, the mayor of N. Philadelphia-N. Halidonas Yiannis Tombouloglou, the Dodecanese MP from ND Vasileios-Nikolaos Ypsilantis, the PASOK state member Dimitris Mantzos, journalists, representatives of Cypriot organizations and representatives of the security forces of Cyprus and Greece.
The exhibition, organized under the auspices of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Athens, will last until the end of 2024 and is open to the public during the opening hours of the Hellenistic Refugee Museum, daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except Mondays. fairs.