The launch of the Cypriot Diaspora Programme took place at the Bruce Castle Museum on the 4th June 2006 in the presence of The Cyprus High Commissioner Mr. Petros Eftihiou, His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios, the Minister of Culture Mr. David Lammy MP, The Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Mrs Theresa Villiers, The leader of Haringey George Meehan, The Mayor of Haringey Mrs Gina Adamou, The Mayor of Barnet Mr. Andreas Tampourides, Professor Floya Anthias, many councillors and community leaders, representatives of local and community press, LGR radio, RIK television, many interviewees and their guests.

The GPA chairman Panayiotis Yiacoumi welcomed the guests and thanked all those who have contributed to the success of the project. In outlining the aims and purpose of the project he said “.......Most third and fourth generation children are not in a position to know first hand, about the reasons their Grandparents and Great Grandparents were forced to leave Cyprus. They do not know about the problems, hardships and sacrifices they had to endure, in order to survive and to lay the foundations of our community. There was a need to record the testimonies of those brave first immigrants so that this and future generations would have the benefit of hearing first hand about life during those early difficult years. We believe that by learning about their ancestors they would feel proud of them and also of their Cypriot heritage.

The Cypriot Diaspora Project is also a form of homage, to all those brave persons who uprooted themselves from their homes and families and supplanted themselves in this country without having any friends or family or knowing the language. However, in spite of all these difficulties they managed not only to survive and to progress but also to keep our traditions and the link to Cyprus.

We are most indebted to our interviewees, without whom this project would not have been possible. We applaud those who opened their hearts and minds to memories that were sometimes both painful and emotional. We are grateful to all our pioneering first generation immigrants, however, what comes out loud and clear for me, is that, the greatest contribution and sacrifice was made by the Cypriot women. Those mothers who said goodbye to their children, without knowing when or if they would live to see them again.  Those young brave women who left their small villages in Cyprus to come to a far away country, with a different language, traditions and weather and who sometimes came over to marry someone they hardly if at all knew in order to help themselves and their families. Those mothers or wives who spend fifteen hours a day, working on sewing machines or in the kitchens washing up and making salads, in order to support their children’s and sometimes their husband’s education and career progress.  They for me are real heroines and I bow to them.”

The event was addressed by the Cyprus High commissioner and also by professor Floya Anthias who spoke on ‘Ethnicity in a Multicultural Society and its effect on the Cypriot Community’

The Exhibition will remain open until the 17th September, Wednesday to Sunday between 1:00 – 5:00 pm.