With a spectacular event at New York City’s Lincoln Center, “Cyprus: Musical Filoxenia”, which included a banquet and a recital by the world-renowned French-Cypriot pianist and composer Cyprien Katsaris with the participation of the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Youth Choir, the Greek-Cypriot baritone Constantinos Yiannoudes and 14-year-old tenor George Ioannou, the Republic of Cyprus celebrated its Presidency of the European Union and its 52nd independence anniversary.
The musical journey was organized by the Cyprus Federation of America with the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the UN and the country’s Consulate General in New York and it was attended by President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias, President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, Speaker of the Parliament Finland Eero Olavi Heinaluomi, Foreign Ministers of Greece & Cyprus, Dimitris Avramopoulos and Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis respectively, members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries.
Cyprus is the third most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of its most popular tourist destinations.
An advanced, high-income economy with a very high Human Development Index, the Republic of Cyprus was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement until it joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. On January 1st 2008, the Republic of Cyprus joined the Eurozone and this past June assumed the European Union rotating presidency.
In 1974 Cyprus was divided de facto after the brutal Turkish invasion which resulted in illegal occupation of the northern third of the island. The United Nations recognizes the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island.
