The Cyprus Community of NSW is set to launch a youth committee called ‘Neolaia’ as a new initiative in affiliation with global advocate, NEPOMAK, an organisation that works to preserve the cultural roots of Cypriots worldwide.
This new initiative will be aimed at 18–30-year-old young Cypriots in order to help them create a connection within the community and strengthen ties to their heritage.
The Greek Herald spoke with Assistant Secretary of the Cyprus Community of NSW, Emilios Michael, and he said this new initiative was created alongside NEPOMAK to bring in the youth and create awareness of the Cyprus issue.
“To understand how to move forward, you need to understand the past. A lot of the youth have not lived the Cyprus issue,” Mr Michael says.
“It’s that link between our parents and grandparents.”
So why now? Mr Michael said that with the help of social media and because of the way the global community engages, appealing to the youth has never been easier.
“We do very well with kids while they’re in school, when they do Greek dancing, up until the ages of 16, 17 and then there is a disconnect, they tend to re-engage at a later stage,” Mr Michael explains.
The hope is that this new committee, once chosen and formed, will create initiatives which will become entrenched within the local Cypriot community.
To find out more about ‘Neolaia,’ an information evening will be held this Thursday, March 17 at 7pm at the Cyprus Community Club at Stanmore. Guest speakers from NEPOMAK will be present to introduce the new initiative and how the youth can get involved.
