The Cyprus Community of NSW has announced the launch of a significant new exhibition and accompanying publication exploring the enduring bond between Cyprus and the ANZAC tradition.
The exhibition, titled “Mateship – The Story of Cypriots and the ANZAC Tradition,” together with a book of the same name authored by Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, will be officially launched on Friday, 12 June 2026, at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park as part of the inaugural Cyprus Memorial Commemoration.
The exhibition explores the deep culture of mateship, solidarity, sacrifice and shared hardship embedded within both the Australian ANZAC tradition and Cypriot culture. While mateship is often regarded as a uniquely Australian characteristic, many of its core values — loyalty, equality, honour, resilience and standing by one another in difficult times — are deeply reflected in the Cypriot traditions of filotimo and collective survival.
The exhibition traces the evolution of mateship through Cypriot and Australian identities shaped by war, hardship, migration, displacement and rebuilding — from the villages and kafenia of Cyprus to the ANZAC tradition forged in Gallipoli, Greece, Crete, North Africa and beyond.
Visitors will explore the stories of Australians who served in Cyprus, Australians who fought alongside Cypriots during the World Wars, and Australians of Cypriot descent who served with distinction in the Australian armed forces. The exhibition examines how shared experiences of conflict, adversity and sacrifice forged lasting bonds between two peoples united by common values and a commitment to freedom.
Among the key themes explored are the contribution of the Cyprus Mule Corps during the First World War, whose members served alongside Allied and ANZAC forces, and the service of the Cyprus Regiment during the Second World War, where Cypriot volunteers fought alongside Australian, New Zealand, British and Greek forces in France, Greece, Crete and North Africa.
The exhibition also examines the shared experiences of displacement, evacuation, captivity and rebuilding that shaped both Australian and Cypriot communities throughout the twentieth century, highlighting the resilience and determination that underpin both cultures.
Author and historian Dr Diamadis, Director of Archives and Heritage for the Cyprus Community of NSW, said the exhibition and book seek to tell an important story that has often remained overlooked.
“The story of Cyprus and the ANZAC tradition is fundamentally a story of people. It is a story of ordinary men and women who stood together in extraordinary circumstances. It is a story of courage, sacrifice, loyalty and mateship. While our nations may be separated by geography, they are connected by shared values and shared experiences forged during some of history’s most difficult moments,” Dr Diamadis said.
He said the exhibition demonstrates that the values Australians recognise as mateship have deep parallels within Cypriot culture.
“When Australians speak of mateship and Cypriots speak of filotimo, they are often describing the same ideals — standing beside one another, helping those in need, honouring sacrifice and placing community before self. These values have connected our peoples for generations,” he said.
The exhibition and book launch form part of the Cyprus Memorial Commemoration 2026, a historic event that will include a memorial service, wreath-laying ceremony, keynote lecture, exhibition launch and commemorative reception at the ANZAC Memorial.
The Cyprus Community of NSW believes this will be the first exhibition and publication in Australia dedicated specifically to exploring the relationship between Cypriots and the ANZAC tradition through the lens of mateship, military service and shared history.
The Community has extended an invitation to veterans, serving personnel, historians, academics, community organisations, government representatives and members of the public to attend the launch and participate in this important act of remembrance and historical recognition.
Event Details
- What: Mateship – The Story of Cypriots and the ANZAC Tradition, Official Exhibition and Book Launch
- When: Friday, 12 June 2026
- Where: ANZAC Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney
- Time: 6:30pm
- RSVP online at: https://thecyprusclub.org.au/memorial
Presented as part of the Cyprus Memorial Commemoration 2026. All members of the community and the general public are warmly invited to attend.
