The hope that “very quickly, within the subsequent 24 hours” there shall be constructive developments in direction of the resumption of talks, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulidis, expressed on Wednesday night, in his greeting on the presentation of the Historic Anniversary Album of the Affiliation “Evagoras” G. IN. Famagusta “GSE – 120 years within the Battles”, organized by the “Evagoras” Gymnastics Affiliation (GSE) of Famagusta, on the Olympiakos Megaro, in Nicosia.
The President of the Republic acknowledged that “regardless of any challenges and difficulties we’re doing every little thing doable to achieve that blessed day and I hope very quickly, within the subsequent 24 hours, we are going to hear constructive developments in direction of the resumption of talks”.
“Coming from New York,” he continued, “I can let you know with certainty that nobody, nobody questions our intentions and our political will. Intention, will, persistence, clear objectives, full understanding and utilization of the worldwide circumstances, which haven’t solely activated worldwide curiosity within the Cyprus problem, but in addition create substantial prospects for the resumption of talks”.
Referring to the occasion, President Christodoulidis famous that “the Gymnastic Affiliation “Evagoras” of Famagusta, one of the crucial historic sports activities and cultural Associations of Cyprus and Greece, in its a couple of hundred 12 months historical past in sports activities, cultural, social occasions and the sturdy presence within the nationwide video games of our homeland, it has to exhibit wealthy motion, contribution, distinction, competitiveness and patriotism as few Unions in Cyprus”.
Afterwards, the President of the Republic identified that “the GSE has honored and utilized exemplary the sporting advantage and worth of “honest competitors” and has achieved nice success for Cyprus and Greece, each on the Panhellenic and Olympic stage”. As he mentioned, “the checklist of athletes who’ve handed via the phases of the GSE, earlier than and after the Turkish invasion and the refugee, is lengthy and the names of athletes who distinguished themselves on the worldwide stage aren’t few in any respect.”
“GSE made Cyprus and Greece pleased with its kids and its skills. He honored the homeland and far more the town of his founding and origin, Famagusta, making it much more internationally recognized. The identify of the good historic and symbolic determine of Evagoras traveled and have become recognized kilometers away from Cyprus, due to the efforts, professionalism and stage of the executives, coaches and athletes of the Affiliation”, he underlined.
Within the anniversary Album, mentioned the President of the Republic, “not solely the lengthy and wealthy historical past and course of the GSE is included. It accommodates a chunk of the historical past, life and soul of the town of Famagusta. The town that was distinguished and acknowledged internationally for its progressiveness, improvement and pioneering in all fields”.
Afterwards, he famous that “Famagusta all the time shocks. We realized it via historical past and the assorted sources and testimonies, we reside it after the Turkish invasion via the march and motion of the refugees from Famagusta, we admire it within the eyes and fervour of the younger individuals who, though they didn’t reside within the metropolis, crave the return”.
It’s not an exaggeration, continued President Christodoulidis, “to confess that Famagusta all the time reigns, despite the fact that it’s underneath Turkish management, enclosed and underneath occupation. It reigns each via its monuments and its historical past, it reigns, nevertheless, and far more via its individuals and arranged ensembles, such because the case of the “Evagoras” Gymnastics Membership.
“The individuals of Famagusta, expelled from their ancestral properties, as refugees, not solely discovered the energy to straighten up, but in addition inoculated all of free Cyprus with their motion and struggles. As GSE did to a big extent, which, though hosted at varied phases as a refugee Affiliation, managed to win again essential distinctions, managed to regain its glamor and greatness”, he added.
“As a State, we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all of the members of the Board of Administrators of GSE Famagusta, over time, for his or her inspiration and contribution, to all those that contributed decisively to the creation of the now legend of GSE, coaches, athletes, sports activities followers, supporters and actors” , the President emphasised. “Now we have, on the similar time, a debt and an obligation in direction of all of the individuals of Famagusta, to all of the refugees, to not demobilize from the hassle to finish the occupation and reunify our homeland”, he identified.
“The anniversary album we’re presenting is not only the recording of a narrative. Its modifying and publication are a contribution to historic reminiscence, the significance of which all of us perceive. It contributes to passing on the values, imaginative and prescient and spirit of GSE Famagusta to the subsequent generations and to their journey via time and house”, mentioned President Christodoulidis. By its pages, as he mentioned, “the Booklet assures us that the “Evagoras” Gymnastics Affiliation of Famagusta continues to be a pioneer, residing and respiration with the values of sports activities, social contribution, tradition and our nationwide heritage” .
“My heat congratulations, we’re by your facet to strengthen your effort and I consider that with the contribution of the State, GSE ought to have the ability to have athletes all through the free Cyprus”, he indicated, mentioning that his second daughter who’s an athlete was to enroll in GSE, however was pressured to enroll in GSP as a result of her household resides in Nicosia. “With the contribution of the State, Famagusta residents residing in Nicosia ought to have the ability to have the chance to be members of the GSE”, he concluded.
For his half, the Mayor of Famagusta, Simos Ioannou, mentioned, amongst different issues, that “the GSE athletes honored our metropolis with their successes within the championships in Cyprus and internationally, however above all in changing into “symbols of the life we left behind and of the battle for return”.
So for the return, he mentioned, “we’re combating regardless of Turkey's dichotomous objectives. Regardless of the efforts to finish the ethnic cleaning and to maintain the island and its individuals divided. Regardless of the assaults that our metropolis receives because the final bastion and hope that blocks the two-state answer dreamed of by Tatar and others”.
We’re persevering with this battle of return, Mr. Ioannou added, “as a result of we skilled firsthand the Famagusta of coexistence and prosperity. As a result of we hope for peace and freedom. As a result of we all know firsthand its joys. As a result of that is the one manner to achieve bringing peace, freedom, liberation, life again to our metropolis, to our neighborhoods, to our headquarters, to GSE”.
In his greeting, the President of the GSE, Sofocles Charalambidis, acknowledged that “the in-depth analysis in archives with newspaper and journal publications of the time, paperwork, letters, images of coaches, actors and athletes, dropped at mild new essential info and highlighted unknown till at this time facets and the long-term course not solely of the Affiliation but in addition of the town and the province of Famagusta”.
As well as, he mentioned that the publication of the album “needed to be finished, as a result of we really feel deep down that this was a debt to our membership, the executive brokers, the members, our athletes and basically to the historical past of Cypriot sports activities”. Our version, he continued, is a reference guide not just for the historical past of GSE, but in addition for the town and province of Famagusta.
“Famagusta is all of us, the individuals, its colleges and church buildings, its golf equipment and unions. We don't overlook it and we don't give it to anybody. We’ll proceed to battle and we are going to cross this perspective on to our youngsters and grandchildren, Till that blessed day of liberation and return comes – and it’ll come,” he mentioned amongst different issues.
Throughout the occasion, the Album was introduced by its creator, researcher Chrysantho Chrysanthou. A brief movie concerning the GSE champions was proven.
Moreover, the GSE champions, Stavros Tzorgzis and Eleni Artymata, have been honored as the most effective athletes within the 120 years of the Affiliation's historical past, whereas Natalia Christofi, Stavros Augustinos and Giorgos Tofi have been honored as the most effective athletes of the final two years.
The occasion, which was attended by the Legal professional Basic, George Savvidis, and the Deputy Minister of Immigration, Nikolas A. Ioannidis, was interspersed with a musical program devoted to Famagusta.