In a special event, which took place on Sunday, October 11, in the hall of the Cyprus Community of South Australia in Welland, Cypriot expatriates celebrated the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus.
A number of dignitaries and community leaders were present, including the High Commissioner of Cyprus to Australia, Martha Mavrommatis, the Consul General of Greece in Adelaide, George Psiachas, the State Minister for Innovation and Skills, David Pisoni, the expatriate Senator and Federal MP of the Labor Party, Steve Georganas, the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia (EOKNA), Bill Gonis, and the youth committee of the Cyprus Community, as well as representatives of other local and expatriate organisations.
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“I am happy to be here to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus, but at the same time I am saddened that Turkey continues to violate the EEZ. What [the Turks] are doing is unacceptable. We want a solution to the Cyprus issue. We want a Cyprus, for all Cypriots,” said the High Commissioner of Cyprus to Australia, who, addressing Consul General Psiachas, thanked Greece for standing by Cyprus.
Mavrommatis also thanked the Australian government, which recently expressed its concern over the crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean and called on Turkey to negotiate under international law.
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“The struggle continues until we have a free and united Cyprus,” Ms Mavrommati concluded.
During the event, which was followed by a lunch, the President of the Cypriot Community of South Australia, Andreas Evdokiou and the High Commissioner, awarded members of the Community for their contribution and their social work.
