Memory is preserved through people rather than monuments, stated Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides during a poignant remembrance event in Amathus, honouring those killed and missing during the Turkish invasion of 1974. The minister emphasised that the tragedy of that year began not with the invasion on July 20, but with the coup that preceded it, which led to a collapse of constitutional order.
- In closing, the minister asserted that honouring those lost also involves building a Cyprus capable of learning from its history and addressing the complex consequences of the past.
Condemning the coup as an attack on democracy, Charalambides warned against the belief that violence could replace popular will. He stated, “This historical truth does not in the slightest diminish Turkey’s responsibility,” reflecting on how both the coup and the subsequent invasion highlighted the dangers of a country being “wounded from within and threatened from without”.
In his address, Charalambides honoured those who lost their lives, noting their sacrifice as a testament to standing firm during a period of fear and uncertainty. “Their value lies in the choice to stand tall when everything around you is crumbling,” he remarked, underscoring the courage required in such turbulent times.
The fate of the missing persons of Cyprus was also a significant point in Charalambides’ speech, as he described it as one of the most painful aspects of the tragedy. “There were parents who passed away waiting. There were mothers who kept a photograph for decades,” he shared. He articulated that the ongoing search for truth about every missing person is “an act of justice, humanity and duty”.
Charalambides reiterated that remembrance is rooted in names, photographs, and communities rather than in physical monuments. “Memory does not reside in monuments. It resides in people,” he declared, reinforcing the idea that true remembrance lies in the hearts and stories of individuals.
In closing, the minister asserted that honouring those lost also involves building a Cyprus capable of learning from its history and addressing the complex consequences of the past.
