President Nikos Christodoulides, underscored on Tuesday the state’s profound sense of responsibility to ensure that, despite the challenges posed by the Turkish occupation, no enclaved child living in the Turkish occupied areas lacks anything.
Speaking at an event to support of the Cyprus Committee for the Assistance of Children and the Enclaved children, held on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace, President Christodoulides said “as a state, we feel an immense responsibility to create the necessary conditions — a task made more difficult by the reality of occupation — so that you lack nothing”.
“We see dreams, hopes, passion for life, but also your anxiety over the difficult situation, especially those children coming from the occupied areas. We also see in your eyes the faces of your grandparents, some of whom have passed away, having lived through this very challenging reality,” he noted.
President Christodoulides said that during the last 20 months, his government has tried to solve longstanding problems and has opened up a school at Kormakiti, even if there are only two children, noting “we want to see more children at Kormakiti”.
The President also referred to further decisions taken, including providing allowances to students returning to the occupied areas, extending the Christmas allowance for students, equipping schools with the necessary resources, improving the quality of school meals, while two busses will be purchased to be used in 2025. He also emphasised the ongoing collaboration with universities in the government controlled areas of the Republic.
“I am fully aware that conditions will never be identical to those in the free areas, but I want you to know that we are doing everything possible to achieve” the reunification of our homeland, the President stressed, adding “I truly believe this is an achievable goal”.
During the event, Head of Humanitarian Affairs for Missing Persons and the Enclaved, Anna Aristotelous announced the purchase of two pianos for two schools in the occupied north, adding that that First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides shared with her ideas as she underlines the pivotal role of music education in children’s lives.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
