An appeal to Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots "to abandon what is unacceptable we have been hearing in recent days and to work constructively to end the occupation and the reunification of our homeland," President Nikos Anastasiadis addressed in his opening remarks at Lefkosia. , of the DG Scientific Conference for Secondary Education Teachers, on "150 years since the inauguration of the catholic of the Holy Monastery of Apostolos Andreas in Karpasia".
President Anastasiadis stressed that the resumption and consequent positive outcome of the negotiations "is now clear that it requires the necessary preparation, but also the required cooperation from all stakeholders and actors, and especially of course from the responsible, Turkey."
At the same time, he assured that "our unwavering goal remains to reach a solution that will end the occupation and settlement, will free Cyprus from foreign troops and foreign dependencies, will restore and guarantee its human rights and fundamental freedoms. of all our people ”.
"A solution based on international law, the UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus and the principles and values that govern the European Union will ensure peace, security and stability and guarantee progress and prosperity for all the inhabitants of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots ", he pointed out.
He stressed that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots need to realize that only through dialogue, mutual respect and a dignified compromise is it possible to achieve a just, functional and sustainable solution that will justify the vision of the people of Cyprus to end the unacceptable status quo. .
He pointed out that despite the Turkish intransigence, which is universally responsible for the impasse of the last attempt in Crans Montana, what he took care to underline in the series of international contacts I had in New York, Brussels, Moscow, and what he will emphasize and in his forthcoming contacts, is that "we have the patience and perseverance to continue our efforts in the context of direct negotiations".
Referring to the conference, organized by the Directorate of Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education, the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus and the Diocese of Karpasia, President Anastasiadis said that “along with the promotion of the biblical form and distinctive spiritual personality of Apostle Andreas, pays tribute to the long history and the diverse contribution of the Holy Monastery of Apostolos Andreas, as guardian for the preservation of religion, Greek education and Hellenism in the northwestern cape of Cyprus, Karpasia ".
"The Monastery, which connects its name and its construction in 1867 in the place where the Apostle Andreas is believed to have landed, was the symbol of faith and the collective memory of Cypriot generations, but also the source of strength, inspiration and revival of its national-religious mindset. "of our orthodox people," he said.
He also added that "remaining the only one in operation under Turkish occupation Monastery, through the services offered with self-denial, sacrifice, love and selflessness of the trapped treasurer Zacharias Georgiou managed to keep in the difficult conditions of occupation the lamp of her patient patience, strength, faith and hope of all the trapped inhabitants of the peninsula ”.
President Anastasiadis said that “the relentless joint effort to respect a religious monument with a symbolic character for all Cypriots, demonstrated by the members of the bicommunal Technical Committee for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, the Church of Cyprus and the Foundation for the Management of Vakoufia Development in collaboration with of the United Nations, succeeded in completing the work of the restoration project of the first phase of the Holy Monastery of the Apostle Andrew ".
He stressed that this effort gives in all directions "the message of hope and shows the way of cooperation of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, in order to achieve the goal of reunification of our country and to ensure a hopeful and creative future for future generations."
The President of the Republic addressed warm congratulations to the organizers of the conference through which a comprehensive examination will be given, both of the theological work of Apostolos Andreas and of the historical and religious contribution of the Holy Monastery.
He pointed out that "our wish and effort, both the Holy Monastery of the Apostle Andrew and all the temples of our occupied homeland, will soon be able to operate freely, without conditions and restrictions" while he assured that "In this direction we will work tirelessly until moment we will achieve it ".
For his part, Archbishop Chrysostomos announcing the beginning of the conference, the purpose of which is to highlight the apostolic work of Apostle Andreas in Cyprus, as well as to promote the history, archeology and art of the Holy Monastery of the Saint, in the northwest Cape of Cyprus, on the Karpasia Peninsula, said that the name of the First-Called Student is identified with the psychosynthesis, experiences and visions of our people.
He referred to the great contribution of the Monastery of Apostolos Andreas to the historical events of Cyprus, noting at the same time that "a deep historical pain penetrates our psychosynthesis for the fact that this historic monastery is under the foot of the Turkish conqueror for 43 whole years".
"But we do not recover and we do not grieve", he said and wished to claim to see the monastery of Apostolos Andreas fully staffed.
As part of the opening ceremony of the conference, the Chairman of the Management Committee of the Holy Monastery of Apostolos Andreas Oikonomos Zacharias Georgiou and the elder Maroulla were honored for their contribution to the Monastery.
Source: KYPE
Source: RIK News