Today, Cypriots and the diaspora communities abroad celebrate the independence of their country from British colonial rule.
Following the Russian victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the British, jockeying for supremacy in the eastern Mediterranean during the Congress of Berlin negotiations, made a deal with the Ottoman Sultan in which Britain would take possession of the strategically-located island of Cyprus as a British protectorate. This allowed Britain an easier access route to their most important colony - India.
In 1914, after the Ottoman Empire entered World War I with the Central Powers (i.e. Germany, Austro-Hungary and Bulgaria), Britain immediately announced the official annexation of Cyprus to the British Empire.
On the island, the calls for "Enosis" (I.e. Union) of Cyprus to Greece became an internationally recognized issue by 1949. The calls for Enosis consumed the island in the early 1950s, which resulted in the formation of the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (known by the Greek acronym "EOKA") in 1955.
Between 1955 and 1959, EOKA fought a heroic campaign to end British rule in Cyprus, and for the eventual goal of union with Greece. The British refer to this period as the "Cyprus Emergency."
By 1959, seeing that the Greek fighters were standing their ground, the British decided that it would be better for Cyprus to be an independent country. However, the British rejected the calls for union to Greece. As such, a constitution was drafted in February of that year via the London and Zürich Agreements with negotiators present from the United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey, the Greek Cypriot community, and the Turkish Cypriot community.
In December of 1959, the first presidential elections were held in Cyprus resulting in a victory for Archbishop Makarios III, who received two-thirds of the votes.
On August 16, 1960, Sir Hugh Foot declared the independence of Cyprus.
Due to ongoing Turkish agitation and disturbances on the island following the proclamation of independence, and the subsequent illegal Turkish invasion and occupation in July of 1974 and its immediate aftermath, the first time that Cypriots officially celebrated their independence day was in 1979.
Although the declaration of independence was made back on August 16, 1960, the Cypriot government, wanting to have a strong international diplomatic presence for the country's independence day events, decided to officially establish the date for the celebration of independence for "October 1" only on account that the majority of staff in international embassies and consulates typically are on vacation in the summer months.
Long live the Republic of Cyprus!
Long live the heroic Cypriot people!
Hellenic Canadian Research Institute (Hellenic Institute)
Following the Russian victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the British, jockeying for supremacy in the eastern Mediterranean during the Congress of Berlin negotiations, made a deal with the Ottoman Sultan in which Britain would take possession of the strategically-located island of Cyprus as a British protectorate. This allowed Britain an easier access route to their most important colony - India.
In 1914, after the Ottoman Empire entered World War I with the Central Powers (i.e. Germany, Austro-Hungary and Bulgaria), Britain immediately announced the official annexation of Cyprus to the British Empire.
On the island, the calls for "Enosis" (I.e. Union) of Cyprus to Greece became an internationally recognized issue by 1949. The calls for Enosis consumed the island in the early 1950s, which resulted in the formation of the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (known by the Greek acronym "EOKA") in 1955.
Between 1955 and 1959, EOKA fought a heroic campaign to end British rule in Cyprus, and for the eventual goal of union with Greece. The British refer to this period as the "Cyprus Emergency."
By 1959, seeing that the Greek fighters were standing their ground, the British decided that it would be better for Cyprus to be an independent country. However, the British rejected the calls for union to Greece. As such, a constitution was drafted in February of that year via the London and Zürich Agreements with negotiators present from the United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey, the Greek Cypriot community, and the Turkish Cypriot community.
In December of 1959, the first presidential elections were held in Cyprus resulting in a victory for Archbishop Makarios III, who received two-thirds of the votes.
On August 16, 1960, Sir Hugh Foot declared the independence of Cyprus.
Due to ongoing Turkish agitation and disturbances on the island following the proclamation of independence, and the subsequent illegal Turkish invasion and occupation in July of 1974 and its immediate aftermath, the first time that Cypriots officially celebrated their independence day was in 1979.
Although the declaration of independence was made back on August 16, 1960, the Cypriot government, wanting to have a strong international diplomatic presence for the country's independence day events, decided to officially establish the date for the celebration of independence for "October 1" only on account that the majority of staff in international embassies and consulates typically are on vacation in the summer months.
Long live the Republic of Cyprus!
Long live the heroic Cypriot people!
Hellenic Canadian Research Institute (Hellenic Institute)
RSS Feed
