“Lapithos, land of our dreams, dreams of coming home”

On the 19th of April 2010 at Ammochostos Gate, in Nicosia the opening for the Exhibition “Lapithos, land of our dreams, dreams of coming home” took place successfully. The exhibition was open to the public until the 24th of April 2010.

The Photography Exhibition is a reference to the history of Lapithos, its people, its Elementary Schools and the Gymnasium that were in operation in Lapithos, to the churches and chapels before and after 1974, to the Folk Arts in Lapithos, the Turkish invasion, the refugees, the destruction of our cultural heritage, the cultural events and the events condemning the occupation that the Municipality realizes in Cyprus and abroad and to the reactivation of Lapithians.

The Mayor of Lapithos, Mr. Athos Eleftheriou, the journalist Mrs Elena Charalambous and the honorable Minister of the Interior, Mr. Neocles Sylikiotes addressed the event. The latter also opened the exhibition.

Mr. Sylikiotes in his speech mentioned the importance of the Photography Exhibition and congratulated the Municipality on its initiative, as well as it overall activity. He also referred to the efforts of the President of the Republic, Mr. Demetris Christofias for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

The Mayor of Lapithos, Mr. Athos Eleftheriou mentioned inter alia: “… The decision to prepare this exhibition was taken by the Town Council of Lapithos as part of the awareness campaign it carries out, in order to promote knowledge about the Cyprus problem and our efforts for a fair solution and return to our occupied areas. Our ambition is that this exhibition will be one more means aiding the efforts of the President of the Republic and the government, of our politicians in general, to solve our national problem…

… Special emphasis should be placed on the destruction of our cultural heritage, which must be terminated and the restitution of which ought to start …”.

In her speech Mrs Elena Charalambous, inter alia mentioned: “… As we were leaving in haste, pursued by the Turks and the others they brought along, we climbed its [Lapithos’] highest peak. There we exchanged a last look with Mistress Lapithos and a smile. And then I heard her song, but not a weeping song, whispering softly to me: we ‘ll meet again; remember the debt of remembrance. After a long time, the time to pay the debt has arrived and it is this exhibition.

Forgetting is a choice we make. But remembrance so strong that it can win over death itself is a debt. The debt of one who wishes, is able to accomplish and endure. ”

This exhibition was like giving birth. Its gestation period lasted almost one year and believe me, it was painful, because at every moment Lapithos was our mistress. The more we touched and admired her, the more it pained us to look at her history, her people, her hundred-long civilization, her churches, her chapels.

It is an oxymoron, that something you love so much should hurt you so much. The place that gave birth to you, stabs you, the land that nurtured you, wounds you.

The birth itself was painless, it was full of love and deliverance. It is what you have come to witness tonight. Take it like a baby in your arms, cradle it, caress it, allow its scent to intoxicate you.

And all of you who are not afraid of the debt, keep its memory alive. When the blessed day comes, then we ‘ll be able to face her without any shame, with clear eyes.

Then and only then, will she allow us to fall in love with her and look at her innermost core.

Every event, every happening has a reason behind it, a goal that brings it to realization.

Our exhibition has its own goal: to cut through our shroud of oblivion like a knife and invoking our age-old civilization and the history of Lapithos to remind us our debt…”.

The Municipality of Lapithos as a token of its appreciation for their important role in preparing this exhibition gave to Mrs. Elena Charalambous, Mr. Christos Avraamides and Mrs Antonia Chadjigeorgiou a silver lemon tree branch.

The artistic part of the program was presented by Mr. Evagoras Karagiorgis with Christiana Nicolaidou and Nefeli Karagiorgi.

In the event, apart from the Minister of the Interior, were present political parties’ representatives: the MPs Mr. Clavdios Mavrohannas, Panikos Champas and Sophocles Fyttes, the Mayor of Karavas, Mr. Ioannis Papaioannou; the President of the Lapithos School Board, the President of the “LAPITHOS” Refugee Association, ELDYK (Greek Army Force in Cyprus) and police representatives, village mayors, Presidents and Representatives of Refugee Associations and Organizations and many more people.

The program was presented by Mr. Pavlos Aristidou, Town Councillor.

The exhibition has already been presented in Sparta and Milies of Magnisia and in 2010 it is expected to be presented in London and Athens. Our aim is to promote the history of Lapithos, its culture, its invasion and occupation, its refugees, the destruction of its cultural heritage, the fair struggle for the solution of the Cyprus problem as well as the return of the refugees to their ancestors’ homes.