NEW YORK – The Cyprus Children’s Fund (CCF) presented their Humanitarian and Philanthropic Award to the First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus Andri Anastasiades and special recognition to the Honorable Harriet Pavles George for her service and dedication to the CCF at their annual Testimonial Dinner on Sunday, March 5. The event took place at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park and CCF National Chairman and President of the Fund Savas Tsivicos expressed gratitude for the hospitality and generosity of owner Dean Poll.
The event is the last under Tsivicos’ Presidency and was one of the best in recent memory. The violinists Maria Manousakis and Gody Geil played beautifully and the Choir of the Pancyprian Association under the direction of Phytos Stratis stole the show and led the First Lady Andri Anastasiades and the General Consul of Cyprus in New York Vasilios Philippou to join in the singing of the last song.
The event, as pointed out by President Tsivicos is both the largest fundraising event and due to the generosity of expatriates and friends the donations exceeded $100,000.
As they did last year, the CCF presented Anastasiades with a check for $25,000 for the Independent Social Support Agency, which supports Cypriot students struggling with financial problems due to the crisis. CCF First Vice President Nicos Zittis during the keynote speech mentioned the donation and encouraged all to participate.
John Metaxas, MC of the event discussed the Cyprus issue and noted that his daughter after her graduation taught in a Nicosia school.
The Chairman of the CCF Scholarship Committee Charles Anastasiou discussed the role of education and observed that the Committee was established in 1980 and since then has provided over $1 million in scholarships to Greek and Cypriot students. He also noted that the decision to award grants sparked the Greeks to create numerous legacies.
AHEPA Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades noted that his parents came from Cyprus and that the organization is headed by a leader in the fight to promote and solve the Cyprus problem.
President of the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations Kyriakos Papastylianou congratulated CCF, the honorees, and the sponsors of the dinner, observing that “there are still many children in Cyprus who need our help.”
President of PSEKA and the Pancyprian Philip Christopher praised the charity of the First Lady and Judge Harriet Pavles George, mentioning that the judge participated in the Pancyprian Choir.
Referring to the struggle for Cyprus, Christopher said that although 42 years have passed since the Turkish invasion the fight will continue until we get to Kyrenia and other occupied towns and villages that are our own Ithaca.
Consul General of Greece in New York Dr. Konstantinos Koutras spoke of his visits to the Republic of Cyprus, seeing the pain and suffering of Cyprus that continues ever since the Turkish invasion.
He reminded the Greeks to support President Anastasiades in the struggle to resolve the Cyprus issue and read the poem by Kyriakos Palamidi “child with a photograph” and said, “you help these children and they are grateful to you.”
“Greece is always on the side of Cyprus,” Koutras concluded.
Tsivikos referred to the role and the mission of the Foundation and focused his attention on the Cyprus child sponsorship program that has helped four hundred children. He noted that there are many other children in the program and invited the attendees to sponsor one of the children whose names were on tags in the centerpiece at each table.
Tsivikos observed that the Diaspora has donated millions of dollars for the children and that in four years of economic crisis in Cyprus the Diaspora has donated more than a million dollars.
Referring to a Cyprus solution noted that “we are not for any solution,” but for the liberation of Cyprus and stressed that “the Greeks are soldiers in the struggle for liberation.”
Archbishop Demetrios read out the message from the Ecumenical Patriarch and observed that 2017 has been declared the year of child protection.
His Eminence then praised the work of the First Lady of Cyprus Andri Anastasiades and Judge Harriet George Pavlis and awarded the Medal of St. Paul and the Holy Cross.
Mrs. Anastasiades was visibly moved by the CCF award and the Medal of St. Paul and expressed her gratitude, noting that they “encourage us to continue to do our best for Cyprus and the Diaspora.”
She also expressed gratitude for the donation of $25,000 and noted that this year they have received requests for grants from 1,070 students.
The ceremony was attended by the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN, Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou, Consul of Greece Manos Koubarakis, General Accountant and President of the Children’s Aid Committee of Cyprus Rea Georgiou, President of the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce Nicolas Nicolaou, President of Atlantic Bank Nancy Papaioannou, Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, and representatives of other Diaspora organizations.
The post Cyprus Children’s Fund Honors First Lady Anastasiades and Judge Harriet Pavles George appeared first on The National Herald.