In a festive environment without formalities and speeches, but with plenty of good friends, beautiful music and delicious food, the Cyprus Federation of America celebrated the Holiday Season hosting members and supporters at Terrace on the Park, in Corona, New York. “We wanted to keep it simple,” Panicos Papanicolaou, the organization’s president, said during a brief welcoming message. “This is an event where we get to have a good time and say thanks to the people that help make our year round activities possible.”
The Federation recently scored high organizing a spectacular event at New York City’s Lincoln Center titled “Cyprus: Musical Filoxenia”, which included a banquet and a recital by the world-renowned French-Cypriot pianist and composer Cyprien Katsaris. An array of other first class artists participated along with the President of the Republic Dimitris Christofias and a host of international dignitaries.
The Cyprus Federation was founded in 1951 in New York City and currently consists of 25 chapter members located throughout the United States including the Tri-State area, Virginia, Ohio, Chicago, Washington, Florida and California. The Federation networks closely with the Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), the International Coordinating Committee “Justice for Cyprus” (PSEKA), the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), the United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC), and the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York.
Although the Federation was established as a means to enhance the unity and communication of Cypriots in the US and to disseminate Greek culture, after the 1974 brutal Turkish invasion the focus shifted into promoting the rights and freedoms of the Cypriot people, and working towards the termination of the illegal occupation of the island by Turkey.
