Podcasts about cypriots

The effects of the Second World War were far-reaching -- Cyprus included. While initial reactions to the war were muted, the dynamic shifted dramatically when Greece entered the fray, spurring Cypriots to enlist in large numbers to serve King and Country. Much like in World War I, many Cypriots served as muleteers, but this time, direct action was far more likely. Thousands of Greek, Turkish, Armenian and Maronite Cypriots were deployed across the globe, including Egypt, Greece, and, most notably, Monte Cassino, Italy. They were among those evacuated at Dunkirk, flew missions with the RAF, and tragically, some even perished in concentration camps. The Cypriot war dead are commemorated in 23 different countries and across 72 cenotaphs, with notable locations including France, Germany, Poland -- and as far afield as Singapore and China. Italy holds the largest number of Cypriot graves, with volunteers interred in 18 separate cemeteries. But the war also left its mark on Cyprus itself, with the island enduring air raids, social change -- and even bombings. It may even hold the distinction of being the only allied country to "suffer air raids on the same day by three different air forces." (William Battershill, Governor of Cyprus 1939-1941). How were Cypriots trained for service? Who was recruited, and what challenges did they face upon their return? To explore these questions and more, I'm joined by Dr. Marios Siammas to discuss Cyprus in the Second World War!

Comedian and content creator, Peter Kypri, aka Cypriot Smurf returns to Ouzo Talk for another Ouzo-fuelled discussion... and this time he's brought a Cypriot guest with him! Also joining the boys as a last-minute addition from the bench is Sooshi Mango Manager, Harris Meitanis, who got way more than he bargained for when he accompanied Peter to The Distillery. A barrage of Cypriot ensues as the boys discuss everything from the entertainment industry, to online content creators, connecting with Greeks and Cypriots within the industry and much, much more!This episode of Ouzo Talk is brought to you by:Mr Roses: https://mrroses.com.au/The Greek Provideore: https://thegreekprovidore.com.au/Send us a text https://mrroses.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOoqxc8960pjv3Wurn86dFcGVewLAqyATsIwwyQYWPBIZsflTO6FoSupport the showEmail us at ouzotalk@outlook.comSubscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OuzoTalkFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OuzoTalkFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ouzo_talk/

In today's episode, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands arrived in Cyprus late Monday for a two-day state visit, marking the first-ever visit by a Dutch royal couple. Elsewhere, Cypriots headed outdoors today to celebrate Green Monday, a public holiday marking the start of Lent with fasting foods, picnics, and kite-flying.Also, Cyprus had the highest share of women in postgraduate studies and the second-highest in doctoral studies in the EU in 2022, according to Eurostat.All this and more in today's Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

TW: this episode discusses topics that some listeners may find distressing. We are back for season 4! For this very specical first episode, I am joined by Sage Stephanou from Cypriots for Palestine. We discuss Cyprus' role in Palestinian solidarity, the importance of engaging with both islands' shared resilence, and the love that comes from the land. You'll also hear powerful Palestinian poetry readings from our community. A conversation about history, resistance and the power of collective action. Follow us on Instagram and the app formerly known as Twitter @roottovinepod.

As we approach the 51st dark anniversary of Turkey's invasion of Cyprus this year, there is a renewed push to locate and identify the remains of 951 missing Greek and Turkish Cypriots. To this day, the search continues for those lost during periods of inter-communal violence or - the large part - during Turkey's invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini's English Edition and Politico's Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins me to look into this issue, which remains an open wound for all Cypriots.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:‘Oblivion cannot always be the choice'Greece's tourism hits record highs, offering optimism for 2025Turkey's Kurdish leaders meet jailed politician as the two sides inch toward peace

It's official - Lazio, Athletic Club, and Chelsea are the class of the Europa and Conference Leagues. They may be through as Top 8 finishers in their respective competitions, but so much else is still to be decided! In the UEL, Roma and Porto get much-needed wins, Lyon looks dangerous, and Nice is finished in our last Europa matchday roundup until January. Elsewhere, the UECL comes to a head, with just one slate of games left to determine who advances to the knockouts. The Cypriots laid their claim to qualification spots, picking up 3 wins from 3, Shamrock miraculously remains undefeated, and Fiorentina drubs poor LASK. All that, plus we look ahead to the deciding Conference League fixtures on December 19. Cheers Marco Baroni!

The U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Julie D. Fisher says that the relations between Cyprus and the US have reached “a historic high”. Our conversation covers various topics, including the Ambassador's background in diplomacy, the importance of personal relationships in international relations and the summit at the White House between President Biden and the President Christodoulides. We touched on the strategic dialogue between the two nations, cooperation on security issues through initiatives like CYCLOPS, and the involvement of the FBI in assisting Cyprus with financial crimes. The Ambassador also addresses the complexities of energy security in the region, the potential for future talks regarding the Cyprus problem, and the ongoing efforts towards a visa waiver program for Cypriots traveling to the U.S. Tuesday, 10/12/2024 18.00 Recorded.  

Prior to recording this episode, I had never put any real thought into Cyprus' role in Alexander the Great's campaigns. Afterall, Cyprus is rarely (if ever) mentioned when discussing Alexander's conquests. And yet I was floored to learn not only of its significant naval contributions but just how often Alexander himself recognized the superiority of Cypriot seafaring and engineering know-how to support his expeditions. Let's consider this excerpt in the lead up to the Siege of Tyre: "...[W]ith Cyprus too brought on side, we would be assured of supremacy at sea, and that of itself clears the way for our expedition to Egypt. When we have subdued Egypt, we shall have no further worries for Greece or our own country, and we can then make our move on Babylon with security ensured at home, our reputation enhanced, and the Persians cut off from the entire sea and all the land this side of the Euphrates." - Alexander quoted in Arrian's The Anabasis (17:4). The Siege of Tyre was a pivotal stepping stone opening up the East to Alexander's armies. It's with the coordinated naval efforts of Pnytagoras of Salamis, Androcles of Amathus, and Pasicrates of Curium (among others) that Alexander was able to take the Sidonian harbour of Tyre. And yet their contributions didn't end there. "Alexander had recruited teams of engineers from Cyprus" (17:5 Arrian) in order to assist in the construction of siege-engines and the building of a causeway that connected the mainland to the island of Tyre in perhaps one of the most impressive feats of engineering in all of Alexander's campaigns. To my surprise, Cypriots were more than a mere footnote in the Siege of Tyre. They played vital roles throughout Alexander's campaigns into the East as oarsmen, engineers, explorers, soldiers, trierarchs, and some were even elevated to esteemed positions as Companions and even Satraps (see Stasanor of Soli who was appointed as Satrap of Bactria in modern-day Afghanistan). They accompanied Alexander as they explored the Hydapses River (modern-day Jhelum River in Pakistan and India) while others were specifically sent to explore hitherto unknown regions. "The most extensive of the exploratory voyages was that undertaken by the helmsman Hieron from Soli. He too was given a triaconter by Alexander, with instructions to coast round the entire Arabian peninsula..." (Arrian 17:4) They were an integral component to Alexander's war machine and instrumental in his many of his successes.   In this month's episode, I'm excited to welcome researcher and historian, Andreas Parpas to discuss Cyprus' role in Alexander the Great's campaigns and its pivotal contributions to laying a foothold eastwards towards Babylon and beyond.

Join us for a compelling exploration of, The Divided Island, a groundbreaking documentary film that delves into the complex history, identity, and shared humanity of Cyprus. In this episode, we sit down with the film's creators - director Cey Sesiguzel (Turkish Cypriot) and co-producer Andreas Tokkallos (Greek Cypriot) - as they reflect on their journey of collaboration and friendship, the stories that shaped their film, and the ways art can bridge even the deepest divides. We are also joined by Dr Emilios Lemoniatis, a consultant child psychiatrist, systemic psychotherapist and Cypriot Greek who joins us as a special guest host for this special episode. Through our conversation, we unpack the documentary's key themes: the legacy of division, the impact of generational trauma, the search for missing stories, and the resilience of families caught between history and hope. Together, we ask: What does it mean to be Cypriot today? How can shared cultural strengths and systemic thinking create paths toward healing?Whether you're familiar with Cyprus's history or new to its story, this episode offers a thought-provoking dialogue on identity, reconciliation, and the power of storytelling to inspire change.https://www.thedividedisland.com/The Divided Island challenges the often hostility-driven narratives perpetuated by mainstream media, offering instead a pursuit of truth through deeply personal interviews - from those whose lives, homes, and country were torn apart, to the new generation of Cypriots yearning for peaceful reconciliation.  The filmmakers aim to bring an unbiased, shared understanding of a complex issue and foster a narrative towards a future peaceful solution to the ‘Cyprus problem'.

Arrian's "Anabasis of Alexander" provides us one of the most reliable accounts of Alexander the Great's campaigns -- including Alexander's Siege of Tyre. The siege, which took place in 332BC, relied heavily on Cypriot and Phoenician naval support and provided Alexander a foothold into the Persian Empire. In fact, Arrian speaks of relying on Cypriot engineers who would fit together many war machines for the campaign. With the support of the kings of Cyprus (including King Pnytagoras of Salamis who you'll hear referenced in the Primary Source) it is considered one of Alexander's most impressive accomplishments. In an incredible feat of engineering, a causeway was built connecting the Island of Tyre to the mainland, allowing Alexander to cross and successfully capture the island fortress. Cypriots would continue to furnish Alexander's campaigns with naval and engineering support throughout Alexander's incursion into Asia and including the Hydapses River in India (Jhelum River). Next month, I interview Andreas Parpas on Cyprus' role during Alexander's campaigns. **If you've enjoyed this Primary Source, please consider supporting the History of Cyprus on Patreon. Donations help directly fund the production of these historical sources: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheHistoryofCyprusPodcast You can also help the podcast by following on Instagram and by leaving positive reviews on wherever you happen to stream the episodes :)

In today's episode, officials on Tuesday reiterated there currently exists no practical way to bring down energy costs, which have a knock-on effect on the prices of goods, as one MP warned that certain segments of the population face “annihilation” due to the high cost of living. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos rubbished the idea that diaspora Cypriots in the US could sway the US elections, ahead of a meeting President Nikos Christodoulides was slated to have at the White House with US President Joe Biden. Elsewhere, the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus is investigating Monday's incident in Deneia, where a Turkish army officer allegedly threatened a farmer, while he was tending his field in the buffer zone. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

Hearts face Omonia Nicosia in their second fixture in the League Phase of the Conference League. Joel is joined by Stel Stylianou from the No Choftes podcast, dedicated to covering the Cypriot giants, to provide insight as to what Hearts can expect from their European opponents. They discuss the issues with Omonia at the moment, strengths and weaknesses, key players, and the splinter club. You can find Stel's podcast by searching for 'No Choftes'. Omonia boss apologises to fans - https://www.heartsstandard.co.uk/news/24666090.omonia-manager-apologised-ahead-hearts-match/ /////////////////////////////////////////// GoodVibes Giveaways are proud to sponsor Hearts Standard and offer fantastic prizes to fans of the club. Prizes change weekly and include Tech/Gadgets, Days out, Weekends away, TAX FREE Cash! And even OASIS tickets!!! Get your tickets now at www.goodvibesgiveaways.com and enter for your chance to spread the GOOD VIBESSupport the show: https://www.heartsstandard.co.uk/subscribe

Cyprus is elected to the UN Human Rights Council despite being found guilty by the European Court of Human Rights of infringing human rights; only 30% of Cypriots have access to bomb shelters - do you know where your nearest one is? An upcoming festival celebrates our ancient olive trees

On the campaign trail, former President Trump constantly warns of a World War III.  In Greece and Cyprus, it already feels like such a war is playing out as Athens and Nicosia have to navigate flashpoints to the north in Ukraine and to the south in the Middle East. Endy Zemenides, HALC's Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss how these wide-ranging conflicts are affecting Greece and Cyprus – domestically, in their relations with regional actors, and in their bilateral relationships with the United States.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece on alert for migrant wave, terror concernsAdams indictment focuses on connections to Turkey‘A true friend of Turkey': Eric Adams bribery indictment reveals years of flights and favorsGreeks, Cypriots evacuated from Lebanon land in ElefsinaCyprus chosen as base for Belgian military operation to rescue nationals from Lebanon

As World War I engulfed Europe, Britain and its colonies were not spared. Despite Cyprus avoiding conscription like Canada, the British coaxed Cypriots to enlist in auxiliary roles, notably the mule corps, to aid the Allies on the Salonica front. Promised non-combat duties, Cypriots soon found themselves thrust into conflict. How were they persuaded? What trials did they face? How did they fare upon their return? I welcome back Professor Andrekos Varnava from Flinders University as we discuss one of his latest books, "Serving the Empire in the Great War: The Cypriot Mule Corps, Imperial Loyalty and Silenced Memory," which you can find on Amazon: (this is the Canadian Website).

For this month's primary source, I've taken some liberty with its recording, turning this very real enlistment ad into a radio spot. However, historically speaking, there was no radio service at the time -- and so this certainly would not have been broadcast in Cyprus. Given the widespread illiteracy at the time, enlistment campaigns such as the one here, would've been read aloud at the local καφενεíο (coffee-house) by the village teacher to any man in earshot to advertise the high rates of pay, food, clothing and relative safety in supporting Great Britain during the First World War. Though many are familiar with Cyprus' participation in the Second World War, its role in the First is less known. Why would Cypriots have enlisted to begin with? And did they indeed face "non-combative roles" as promised? Next month, I welcome back Professor Andrekos Varnava from Flinders University as we discuss one of his latest books, "Serving the Empire in the Great War: The Cypriot Mule Corps, Imperial Loyalty and Silenced Memory."

In the 4th century, a series of powerful earthquakes shook the island of Cyprus, leaving a profound impact on its inhabitants and Kourion in particular. These seismic events not only disrupted daily life but also reshaped the landscape, causing widespread destruction and challenging the resilience of Cypriots. The earthquakes of the 4th century stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of those who faced and rebuilt their communities in the wake of nature's formidable fury. This month, I speak with the co-director of the Kourion Urban Space Project, Dr. Laura Swantek, as KUSP enters its 14th season at Kourion.

In today's episode, Cyprus is continuing pushbacks, it emerged on Thursday, even attempting to send migrants who arrived by sea into the buffer zone. Meanwhile, a European arrest warrant has been issued for the mother of a three-month-old infant who died in horrific conditions, infested with insect bites and severely malnourished. Elsewhere, 43 per cent of Cypriots believe the rise of Elam is “dangerous for democracy” while 58 per cent said there was a need for new parties, according to a survey conducted by consultancy group Cypronetwork. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

Votive practices in Cyprus have long been an integral part of the island's rich cultural and religious traditions. Cypriots have engaged in diverse acts of votive offerings to express gratitude, seek divine favor, or fulfill vows. In ancient Cyprus, votives played a significant role in the worship of various deities. The sanctuaries dedicated to gods and goddesses were adorned with votive objects such as statues, terracotta figurines, and ceramic vessels. If you're looking at a statuette in a museum -- there's a good chance that you're looking at a votive that was once offered to a god/or goddess and was excavated from a temple. These offerings were given as tokens of devotion, seeking blessings, protection, or even healing. This month I welcome Dr. Erin Averett, associate director of the Athienou-Malloura site, to discuss the Votive Tradition in Cyprus.

It's the end of the 12th century BC, and a once remarkable Near eastern world lay in ruin. Drought, warfare, famine, earthquakes, plague - all had combined to brutally devastate ancient civilisations stretching from Mesopotamia to Egypt to mainland Greece. It was a catastrophe unlike anything else - a Bronze Age collapse. But that's only half the story. What happened next? Would these people adapt to this new age of chaos?Dr Eric Cline joins Tristan Hughes to discuss the dawn of the Iron Age. They're talking Egyptians, Hittites, Mycenaeans, Cypriots, Phoenicians and many more.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Joseph Knight. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS'. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here.

A critical spirit? A critical moment: even to Gentiles! (v. 1-18) Ahead of the curve: Cypriots and Cyrenes go rogue (v. 19-21) What the grace of God had done: The first ‘Christian' church (v. 22-26) “…he was glad and encouraged them to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.”

In today's episode, hoteliers are furious with the police and the labour ministry over their raids on hunting down illegal workers in Cyprus. Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said on Wednesday he rejected a UN proposal suggesting a trilateral meeting with UN secretary-general envoy Maria Angela Holguin and President Nikos Christodoulides. Elsewhere, a third of Cypriots are “financially fragile” and are unable to cover emergencies, the University of Cyprus' Economics Research Centre (CypERC) revealed on Wednesday. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

I had been following him on TikTok and Instagram for a while and I met him at the Cyprus Diaspora Forum; thank you Paul Lambis for another useful and inspiring connection. Peter has a huge following on all his social media channels and says that consistency is key.Peter Kypri was born in England and is now living in Cyprus and his alter ego Souvlakis has been making people laugh with his videos about Cypriot and Greek stereotypes.As a stand up comedian he tours Australia, South Africa, the UK and all other places where there is a Cypriot and Greek Community.He is a wonderful polite and very smart young man who turns into this crazy peasant Souvlakis with easy. His other ventures are his Youtube with Lagi Demetriou, the son of Stavros Flatley who performed on Britain;s Got Talent.Peter's dream is to fill a huge stadium in Cyprus in the summer when all the Cypriots from abroad are on the island on holidays and I will be sitting in the first row, supporting him.https://cypriotsmurf.com/contact-book-me/

The roots of the Black Cypriot community can be traced back to different historical periods. Cyprus, being under various foreign dominations, witnessed the movement of people from Africa, particularly through trade routes and often forced migrations. The archaeological record can certainly attest to a Black presence as far back as the Archaic Period (for more on this see "Blacks in Ancient Cypriot Art" by Vassos Karageorghis). However, most Black Cypriots today can trace their origins to the Ottoman Period which has left an indelible mark on their identity. With me this month to discuss the Black experience in Cyprus is published author and freelance artist, Serap Kanay.

In today's episode, two boats with migrants have been sent to Lebanon after they were in distress at sea on Wednesday trying to reach Cyprus. Amnesty sounded the alarm over reports of coastguard pushbacks while children were sick on board. Meanwhile, over 400 secondary school students were referred for drug treatment programmes over the past three years, MPs heard during a House education committee. Elsewhere, immigration and the economy are the biggest worries for around 40 per cent of Cypriots going into the EU elections while climate action, gender equality and diversity, and digitisation of the economy are bottom of the list of 13 potential concerns, the latest Eurobarometer revealed. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

Aid groups have stopped using a new sea route to get aid to Gaza after an Israeli strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy that killed seven workers on Monday, April 1. Ships had been leaving from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Cyprus is a popular vacation destination, and for thousands of years, it has been a center of commerce and migration. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek walked the length of the island in 2014. He was and still is on a 24,000-mile walk, retracing the first human migration out of Africa.Salopek caught up with The World's Carolyn Beeler to discuss the juxtapositions of Cyprus' past and present. Carolyn Beeler: Paul, you got to Cyprus on a modern diesel-powered ship. But how did the first inhabitants of that island get there?Paul Salopek: Yeah, they arrived by sea also, of course. From what we know about the archeology of Cyprus, they were some of the earliest settlers to make villages, making this transition from hunter-gatherers to being settled. When they got to Cyprus, way back 12,000 years or so ago, there were miniature hippopotamuses and elephants on the island, and they ate them all. And then they settled down and started farming.In one of your dispatches, you wrote that Cyprus is one of the oldest inhabited islands on earth. What do we know about those early inhabitants other than that they barbecued pygmy hippopotamuses?Well, they eventually became very powerful as the centuries rolled by because they started to discover that they controlled a very valuable resource, which was copper. And so, leading into the Copper Age, which led into the Bronze Age, they were sitting on top of a giant bank account. And as a consequence, what's happened to Cyprus, it's interesting, even in today's news, given the tragedies that are happening in the Middle East right now, is that it became invaded and overrun by so many different civilizations. Back to, you know, the Phoenicians, the Egyptians, the Assyrians, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Ottomans, just the list goes on and on. It's just been washed over, as if by waves, by different groups of people. Two faiths: earthly vs. cosmic rewards, Famagusta, northern Cyprus. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.  Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic  You can see that by looking at a map of Cyprus. Nestled in the eastern Mediterranean, it's so close to Africa, Europe, and Asia. How much does its location and those waves of conquest factor into the island's culture today?I think that that kind of DNA imprint has got to be there. You know, it's kind of a layer on layer on layers in the many thumbprints of the people who've been there. And I suspect it'll continue today because of the instability in Israel and neighboring Lebanon. They just got 2,000 migrants who showed up on boats trying to escape that area, as the war started to spread into Lebanon. So, the waves continue.Going back to your crossing of the island on foot, what was that like? Can you tell me about it? Well, it was unique in this long, crazy journey of mine because normally, I walk with what I call walking partners. It's just baked into the DNA of the project that I walk with local people who act like the cultural interpreters of the landscapes they call home, making the storytelling much better. But because I was in a rush to reach the next country, Turkey, and because Cyprus is relatively small, I decided to hoof it across the island alone.How did that impact your experience of the place not having those local partners?Cyprus was unique. I've gone through, I think, 20 countries so far. Cyprus is the only one that I walked through alone because I was in a hurry. I had an appointment to kind of reach a walking partner waiting in Turkey, so I hoofed it eight days across the island, up through these beautiful mountains covered with kind of carob trees, olive trees, hay-colored fields and white chalky roads. And I could get by [speaking] English because the most recent wave of nomads to come through Cyprus are tourists. And so there's a tourist industry there. Into the layered foothills of the Troodos Mountains, Cyprus. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.  Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic I'm curious. We've been discussing this place being a draw for people from all over. So, what kind of languages did you hear while walking across the island?It was like walking into a polyglot bazaar, where I saw African stevedores speaking North African languages. A little bit further on, they were Indian workers plowing the fields, listening to sitar music on their earbuds. And there Russian tourists laid out, you know, in pink ranks, baking under the sun. It was a very polyglot place. Empty rooms with a view. The hulks of old war-emptied hotels overlook Varosha's fabled beach, northern Cyrpus. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.  Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic Speaking of Cyprus, which is famously divided between Greek and Turkish areas, you crossed the line from one jurisdiction into the other. What was that like?This was another continuation of how borders figure into this walking project across the world. Sometimes, they stop me. I have to turn left or right and walk around whatever country is not letting me in. This was a case where that border — which had been militarized, they've been on the front line because of a war in Cyprus, between ethnic Greeks and ethnic Turks —  it was like a front line. It's called the Green Line. There were sandbags. There was kind of no man's land. But it was open. And trade was going back and forth. And when I talked to both the Cypriots on the Greek side and the Cypriots on the northern Turkish side, I said, "How are you guys living with this? It's been, you know, almost 50 years." They said, "Paul, we are more like each other than we are like Greece or Turkey." It was a kind of classic border culture, like the US-Mexico border. They have more in common with each other, this kind of hybrid zone of cultures, than they do with the big countries that border there.But you were just easily waved through this border, which seems very porous. It's interesting to reflect that that border is getting much more porous, whereas so many others worldwide are being hardened. Migration is trying to be prevented.That's absolutely right. That's kind of the high spots of that border, is that going from a front line that was mined and that would have been deadly to cross a few decades ago? It's actually kind of a bit blurry now. And let's see what happens. It's been in this cold, frozen war stasis condition, patrolled by the UN and whatnot. The hope I heard from the people on both sides was that there would be some weight to make that border go away altogether. Waiting. Sinan Pasha mosque, the converted 14th-century church of Saints Peter and Paul. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org. Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic  It is, of course, still there. And there is a deserted resort straddling the line between Greek and Turkish zones. You called it Europe's ghost city. What was it like walking through that?There was this abandoned city. It used to have, apparently, 39,000 people or so in it. It was one of the most famous resorts in the Mediterranean. Big movie stars in the '70s, [like] Paul Newman and Sophia Loren, would go there for a holiday. Five-star hotels. And because it was on the front line and remains contested, it's been sitting and rotting under the Mediterranean sun. Empty. Seagulls live in those five-star suites now because there are no windows. The beaches are empty. It's been fenced off by the Turkish army. It was very bizarre like a Dresden-like ruin sitting on this beautiful, jewel-like beach setting.Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for length and clarity.Writer and National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has embarked on a 24,000-mile storytelling trek across the world called the “Out of Eden Walk.” The National Geographic Society, committed to illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world, has funded Salopek and the project since 2013. Explore the project here. Follow the journey on X at @PaulSalopek, @outofedenwalk and also at @InsideNatGeo.

Aid groups have stopped using a new sea route to get aid to Gaza after an Israeli strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy that killed seven workers on Monday, April 1. Ships had been leaving from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Cyprus is a popular vacation destination, and for thousands of years, it has been a center of commerce and migration. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek walked the length of the island in 2014. He was and still is on a 24,000-mile walk, retracing the first human migration out of Africa.Salopek caught up with The World's Carolyn Beeler to discuss the juxtapositions of Cyprus' past and present. Carolyn Beeler: Paul, you got to Cyprus on a modern diesel-powered ship. But how did the first inhabitants of that island get there?Paul Salopek: Yeah, they arrived by sea also, of course. From what we know about the archeology of Cyprus, they were some of the earliest settlers to make villages, making this transition from hunter-gatherers to being settled. When they got to Cyprus, way back 12,000 years or so ago, there were miniature hippopotamuses and elephants on the island, and they ate them all. And then they settled down and started farming.In one of your dispatches, you wrote that Cyprus is one of the oldest inhabited islands on earth. What do we know about those early inhabitants other than that they barbecued pygmy hippopotamuses?Well, they eventually became very powerful as the centuries rolled by because they started to discover that they controlled a very valuable resource, which was copper. And so, leading into the Copper Age, which led into the Bronze Age, they were sitting on top of a giant bank account. And as a consequence, what's happened to Cyprus, it's interesting, even in today's news, given the tragedies that are happening in the Middle East right now, is that it became invaded and overrun by so many different civilizations. Back to, you know, the Phoenicians, the Egyptians, the Assyrians, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Ottomans, just the list goes on and on. It's just been washed over, as if by waves, by different groups of people. Two faiths: earthly vs. cosmic rewards, Famagusta, northern Cyprus. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.  Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic  You can see that by looking at a map of Cyprus. Nestled in the eastern Mediterranean, it's so close to Africa, Europe, and Asia. How much does its location and those waves of conquest factor into the island's culture today?I think that that kind of DNA imprint has got to be there. You know, it's kind of a layer on layer on layers in the many thumbprints of the people who've been there. And I suspect it'll continue today because of the instability in Israel and neighboring Lebanon. They just got 2,000 migrants who showed up on boats trying to escape that area, as the war started to spread into Lebanon. So, the waves continue.Going back to your crossing of the island on foot, what was that like? Can you tell me about it? Well, it was unique in this long, crazy journey of mine because normally, I walk with what I call walking partners. It's just baked into the DNA of the project that I walk with local people who act like the cultural interpreters of the landscapes they call home, making the storytelling much better. But because I was in a rush to reach the next country, Turkey, and because Cyprus is relatively small, I decided to hoof it across the island alone.How did that impact your experience of the place not having those local partners?Cyprus was unique. I've gone through, I think, 20 countries so far. Cyprus is the only one that I walked through alone because I was in a hurry. I had an appointment to kind of reach a walking partner waiting in Turkey, so I hoofed it eight days across the island, up through these beautiful mountains covered with kind of carob trees, olive trees, hay-colored fields and white chalky roads. And I could get by [speaking] English because the most recent wave of nomads to come through Cyprus are tourists. And so there's a tourist industry there. Into the layered foothills of the Troodos Mountains, Cyprus. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.  Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic I'm curious. We've been discussing this place being a draw for people from all over. So, what kind of languages did you hear while walking across the island?It was like walking into a polyglot bazaar, where I saw African stevedores speaking North African languages. A little bit further on, they were Indian workers plowing the fields, listening to sitar music on their earbuds. And there Russian tourists laid out, you know, in pink ranks, baking under the sun. It was a very polyglot place. Empty rooms with a view. The hulks of old war-emptied hotels overlook Varosha's fabled beach, northern Cyrpus. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.  Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic Speaking of Cyprus, which is famously divided between Greek and Turkish areas, you crossed the line from one jurisdiction into the other. What was that like?This was another continuation of how borders figure into this walking project across the world. Sometimes, they stop me. I have to turn left or right and walk around whatever country is not letting me in. This was a case where that border — which had been militarized, they've been on the front line because of a war in Cyprus, between ethnic Greeks and ethnic Turks —  it was like a front line. It's called the Green Line. There were sandbags. There was kind of no man's land. But it was open. And trade was going back and forth. And when I talked to both the Cypriots on the Greek side and the Cypriots on the northern Turkish side, I said, "How are you guys living with this? It's been, you know, almost 50 years." They said, "Paul, we are more like each other than we are like Greece or Turkey." It was a kind of classic border culture, like the US-Mexico border. They have more in common with each other, this kind of hybrid zone of cultures, than they do with the big countries that border there.But you were just easily waved through this border, which seems very porous. It's interesting to reflect that that border is getting much more porous, whereas so many others worldwide are being hardened. Migration is trying to be prevented.That's absolutely right. That's kind of the high spots of that border, is that going from a front line that was mined and that would have been deadly to cross a few decades ago? It's actually kind of a bit blurry now. And let's see what happens. It's been in this cold, frozen war stasis condition, patrolled by the UN and whatnot. The hope I heard from the people on both sides was that there would be some weight to make that border go away altogether. Waiting. Sinan Pasha mosque, the converted 14th-century church of Saints Peter and Paul. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org. Credit: Paul Salopek/National Geographic  It is, of course, still there. And there is a deserted resort straddling the line between Greek and Turkish zones. You called it Europe's ghost city. What was it like walking through that?There was this abandoned city. It used to have, apparently, 39,000 people or so in it. It was one of the most famous resorts in the Mediterranean. Big movie stars in the '70s, [like] Paul Newman and Sophia Loren, would go there for a holiday. Five-star hotels. And because it was on the front line and remains contested, it's been sitting and rotting under the Mediterranean sun. Empty. Seagulls live in those five-star suites now because there are no windows. The beaches are empty. It's been fenced off by the Turkish army. It was very bizarre like a Dresden-like ruin sitting on this beautiful, jewel-like beach setting.Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for length and clarity.Writer and National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has embarked on a 24,000-mile storytelling trek across the world called the “Out of Eden Walk.” The National Geographic Society, committed to illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world, has funded Salopek and the project since 2013. Explore the project here. Follow the journey on X at @PaulSalopek, @outofedenwalk and also at @InsideNatGeo.

In today's episode, Monday marks exactly 60 years since the passage of United Nations Security Council resolution 186, which, among other things, created the UN's Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (Unficyp). Elsewhere, a poll showed Nikos Christodoulides' popularity to have been greatly diminished since his election as President a year ago. Meanwhile, one in three Cypriots is overweight, the Cyprus Association of Dietitians and Nutritionists said. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, the government on Tuesday hinted it may extend some of the relief measures it introduced last November – such as subsidising electricity bills – beyond the end of the month. Meanwhile, British High Commissioner in Nicosia Irfan Siddiq was summoned to the foreign ministry to be served with a demarche, following comments made in a newspaper interview, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. Elsewhere, Tuesday marked the first anniversary of the two devastating earthquakes which hit southeastern Turkey, with commemorations taking place in the north to remember the Cypriots who died. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

Magda Ohnefalsch-Richter was an ethnographer who lived in Cyprus in the latter part of the 19th century. Her published work provides us an invaluable insight into the customs and mores of Cypriots in the period. In this excerpt, Ohnefalsch-Richter notes the different instruments used in Greek and Turkish communities. However, we can't quite speak of "Greek" and "Turkish" music -- as only the instruments were/are different. If you're familiar with Cypriot music, you'll notice the Cypriot Zeimbekiko/Zeybegi played by both Greek and Turkish communities. Next month my guest is ethnomusicologist, Dr. Nicoletta Demetriou, who shares with us more information on the history of the 20th century Cypriot Fiddler!  

Cyprus is one of the main resting stops for songbirds as they migrate between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. For centuries, Cypriots trapped and ate a small number of migrating songbirds, as part of a subsistence diet. But over recent decades, the consumption of songbirds became a lucrative commercial business and the level of slaughter reached industrial levels . Millions of birds were killed each year as trappers employed new technologies to attract and capture birds. The methods used by the trappers are illegal under both Cypriot and EU law. In the last few years, both the Cypriot authorities and environmental groups have been fighting back, dramatically reducing the number of birds being trapped. But it remains a multi-million dollar illegal business which has increasingly drawn in organised criminal gangs. For Assignment, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent sees the trappers in action, and meets those determined to stop the mass killing of birds.

Cyprus is one of the main resting stops for songbirds as they migrate between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. For centuries, Cypriots trapped and ate a small number of migrating songbirds, as part of a subsistence diet. But over recent decades, the consumption of songbirds became a lucrative commercial business and the level of slaughter reached industrial levels . Millions of birds were killed each year as trappers employed new technologies to attract and capture birds. The methods used by the trappers are illegal under both Cypriot and EU law. In the last few years, both the Cypriot authorities and environmental groups have been fighting back, dramatically reducing the number of birds being trapped. But it remains a multi-million dollar illegal business which has increasingly drawn in organised criminal gangs. For Crossing Continents, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent sees the trappers in action, and meets those determined to stop the mass killing of birds. Presenter: Antonia Bolingbroke Kent Producer: Alex Last Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Series Editor: Penny Murphy

Most of the Cypriot population, especially the lower classes, remained loyal to the British cause during the Great War and the island contributed significantly to the First World War, with men and materials. The British acknowledged this yet failed to institute political and economic reforms once the war ended. The obsession of Greek Cypriot elites with enosis (union with Greece), which only increased after the war, and the British dismissal of increasing the role of Cypriots in government, bringing the Christian and Muslim communities closer, and expanding franchise to all classes and sexes, led to serious problems down the line, not least the development of a democratic deficit. In British Cyprus and the Long Great War, 1914-1925: Empire, Loyalties and Democratic Deficit (Routledge, 2020), Andrekos Varnava studies the events and the impact of this crucial period. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Most of the Cypriot population, especially the lower classes, remained loyal to the British cause during the Great War and the island contributed significantly to the First World War, with men and materials. The British acknowledged this yet failed to institute political and economic reforms once the war ended. The obsession of Greek Cypriot elites with enosis (union with Greece), which only increased after the war, and the British dismissal of increasing the role of Cypriots in government, bringing the Christian and Muslim communities closer, and expanding franchise to all classes and sexes, led to serious problems down the line, not least the development of a democratic deficit. In British Cyprus and the Long Great War, 1914-1925: Empire, Loyalties and Democratic Deficit (Routledge, 2020), Andrekos Varnava studies the events and the impact of this crucial period. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Most of the Cypriot population, especially the lower classes, remained loyal to the British cause during the Great War and the island contributed significantly to the First World War, with men and materials. The British acknowledged this yet failed to institute political and economic reforms once the war ended. The obsession of Greek Cypriot elites with enosis (union with Greece), which only increased after the war, and the British dismissal of increasing the role of Cypriots in government, bringing the Christian and Muslim communities closer, and expanding franchise to all classes and sexes, led to serious problems down the line, not least the development of a democratic deficit. In British Cyprus and the Long Great War, 1914-1925: Empire, Loyalties and Democratic Deficit (Routledge, 2020), Andrekos Varnava studies the events and the impact of this crucial period. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

Most of the Cypriot population, especially the lower classes, remained loyal to the British cause during the Great War and the island contributed significantly to the First World War, with men and materials. The British acknowledged this yet failed to institute political and economic reforms once the war ended. The obsession of Greek Cypriot elites with enosis (union with Greece), which only increased after the war, and the British dismissal of increasing the role of Cypriots in government, bringing the Christian and Muslim communities closer, and expanding franchise to all classes and sexes, led to serious problems down the line, not least the development of a democratic deficit. In British Cyprus and the Long Great War, 1914-1925: Empire, Loyalties and Democratic Deficit (Routledge, 2020), Andrekos Varnava studies the events and the impact of this crucial period. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies

Is Cyprus a “frozen” conflict? What are the risk of it getting melted? As the so called frozen and fluid conflicts turning into active conflicts everywhere in the world, shouldn’t Cypriots be worried? What are the lessons the Cypriots and the international community take from the ongoing conflics in Ukraine, Nogorno Karabakh and Israel/Palestine? In […] The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 50: Frozen! (14/11/2023) first appeared on Island Talks.

In today's episode, the majority of Cypriots who wanted to leave Israel have already done so and now only a small number remain, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Theodoros Gotsis, said on Monday morning. Security in and around the island has been heightened and developments are being closely monitored, President Nikos Christodoulides assured. Meanwhile, this week Cyprus will be collecting aid for ethnic Armenian refugees from the Nagorno-Karabakh area, following a military intervention by Azerbaijan, which saw thousand flee. Elsewhere, Christodoulides said on Sunday that the Republic of Cyprus has given the UN the all-clear to appoint UN adviser to evaluate the prospects of restarting talks on the Cyprus issue. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

An interview with renowned archaeologist Dr. Eric Cline, author of 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed. Dr. Cline and Rich Napolitano discuss the Bronze Age shipwreck at Uluburun, dating back to 1300 BCE. The vessel was carrying vast amount of riches and valuable items that can be traced to kingdoms all over the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Near East Asia. The cargo found on the ship has changed what we knew about the Late Bronze Age and the trade relationships between the Mycenaeans, Minoans, Egyptians, Cypriots, Canaanites, Hittites, and Mitanni.For images, links, and sources, please visit www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com.

Ο Άλεξ Μαλαός φεύγοντας πριν 20 χρόνια από Κύπρο για σπουδές στην Νέα Υόρκη είχε όπως πολλά νεαρά παιδιά το δικό του όνειρο, να γίνει ηθοποιός. Η ζωή τα έφερε με τέτοιο τρόπο και πλέον μένει μόνιμα Αμερική, χτίζοντας καριέρα και οικογένεια ωστόσο στα 40 του πλέον ο χρόνος περνάει και οι υποχρεώσεις σε μια πόλη με ψηλές απαιτήσεις για να επιβιώσεις μεγαλώνουν. Το όνειρο ωστόσο, για αυτούς που το θέλουν παραμένει το ίδιο. Powered by Ηellenic Bank | Το θέλω γίνεται μπορώ https://www.hellenicbank.com

In today's episode, Defence Minister Michalis Georgallas on Sunday ‘warmly' welcomed the US Senator Robert Menendez's proposed amendment to the National Defence Appropriations Act (NDAA) extending to three years from one the renewal period on arms sales to Cyprus. Meanwhile, there is no information about the exact number of Cypriots in Rhodes, where a wildfire has been raging for six days, said the director of consular affairs at the foreign ministry Omiros Mavromatis on Sunday. Elsewhere, taxi drivers have turned the outdoor area of the Larnaca airport into a “coffee shop” with authorities seeking appropriate measures to put an end to their inappropriate behaviour, Transport Minister Alexis Vafiades said on Sunday. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In this episode, our guest is Leyton Orient and Cyprus U21 striker Ruel Soteriou. Ruel shares his fascinating journey in football, starting from his family background and his early career at Barnet FC before eventually joining Leyton Orient. One of the highlights of Ruel's career was his historic goal for Dover Athletic against Southend in the FA Cup. He discusses the significance of that moment and the impact it had on his confidence and visibility within the footballing world. During his time with the Cypriot national team, Ruel formed strong bonds with his teammates, including players like Kakoullis, Tzionis, Gerolemou, Sergiou, Kyriakides, Correra, and Nicolaou. He shares stories and anecdotes from his experiences with the national team, highlighting the camaraderie and friendship among the players. Moving beyond his personal journey, Ruel and Stel engage in a discussion about the barriers that exist between Cypriots living in Cyprus and those residing in the UK. They emphasise the importance of bridging this divide and creating a bond between the two communities. Lastly, Stel quizzes Ruel about Leyton Orient's upcoming season in League 1, delving into the team's preparations, goals, and aspirations for the season ahead. Ruel provides insights into the team's mindset and expresses his optimism for a successful campaign.

Brokeback Mountain on stage: musician and librettist Dan Gillespie Sells discusses writing the songs for a new stage production of Brokeback Mountain, adapted from Annie Proulx's short story about the romance between two men working as sheep herders in 1960s Wyoming. Venice Architecture Biennale: the exhibition at the British Pavilion this year draws on traditions practised by different diaspora communities in the UK - such as Jamaicans playing dominoes and Cypriots cooking outside - and explores how they occupy space, so this can be included in planning the built environment. Two of the curators, Meneesha Kellay and Joseph Henry, discuss how architecture goes beyond buildings and economic structures. Plus art generates art in Malaysian novelist Tan Twan Eng's new book The House of Doors, inspired in part by the life of William Somerset Maugham and the stories he wrote drawing on his travels in Malaysia. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Julian May

For thousands of years, Cyprus exploited its richest resource: copper. The copper trade was, after all, synonymous with Cyprus and integral for its wealth. While the importance of copper is known, certain questions remain: how did ancient Cypriots source copper? What processes were involved in its extraction? What were the risks and dangers involved with mining? How was copper refined and exactly how much was produced? Archaeologist Lina Kassianidou (University of Cyprus) joins us to answer these questions and more in this month's episode.

Influenced by skewed media reporting, many Cypriots see refugees and asylum seekers as a threat rather than an opportunity; Transformative Scenarios show what COULD happen with regard to the Cyprus problem

Luca Zavagno's (Bilkent University) work, "Cyprus Between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages" frames the bulk of this month's episode. Traditional narratives suggest that the late Roman Period (i.e., Byzantium) for Cyprus was a period of physical dislocation, social disruption and economic turmoil precipitated by the infamous 7th century Arab Raids. But Zavagno, using archaeological evidence and material culture, redresses the impact of the Arab Raids on Cyprus and explores how Cypriots navigated between Constantinople and the Caliphate showing this to be a period of both continuities and change. 

For this month's episode I welcome Dr. Ersin Hussein (Swansea University in Wales) to discuss Cyprus' political and social history as a Roman province. Ironically, although Romans were sticklers for record-keeping, the textual evidence on Cyprus is surprisingly scarce. Using epigraphic (e.g., monuments, inscriptions), coins and textual evidence, Ersin pieces together a better understanding of Cypriot identity in Roman Cyprus and sets out to recover those marginalized voices in antiquity. Instead of "disappearing" in the Roman Empire, Ersin discusses how Cypriots maintained a surprising level of agency and identity (even forming the famous "Koinon Kyprion" in this period) and leveraging their collectivity to exert influence in Rome.

Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines for decades, and caught in a geopolitical power struggle for most of the past 48 years.Does the island need further assistance from the international community? And how are other regional conflicts, like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, affecting Cyprus?Ioannis Kasoulides, the minister of foreign affairs for the Republic of Cyprus, talks to Al Jazeera.This programme contacted the government of the self-declared Northern Cyprus to bring our audience the Turkish Cypriots' voice. Our interview requests were declined, but our invitation to talk to Al Jazeera remains open.Subscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

Medieval and Renaissance Cyprus was a fascinating place of ethnic, cultural, and religious encounters. Following almost nine centuries of Byzantine rule, Cyprus was conquered by the Crusaders in 1191, becoming (until 1571) the most important stronghold of Latin Christianity in the Eastern Mediterranean—first under the Frankish dynasty of the Lusignans, and later under the Venetians. Modern historiographical readings of Cypriot identity in medieval and early modern times have been colored by British colonialism, Greek nationalism, and Cyprocentric revisionism. Although these perspectives have offered valuable insights into the historical experience of Latin-ruled Cypriots, they have partially failed to capture the dynamics of non-coercive resistance to domination, and of identity preservation and adaptation.  Orthodox Cyprus under the Latins, 1191–1571 (Lexington Books, 2018) readdresses the question of Cypriot identity by focusing on the Greek Cypriots, the island's largest community during the medieval and early modern period. By bringing together theories from the fields of psychology, social anthropology, and sociology, this study explores continuities and discontinuities in the Byzantine culture and religious tradition of Cyprus, proposing a new methodological framework for a more comprehensive understanding of Cypriot Orthodoxy under Crusader and Venetian rule. A discussion of fresh evidence from hitherto unpublished primary sources enriches this examination, stressing the role of medieval and Renaissance Cyprus as cultural and religious province of the Byzantine and post-Byzantine Orthodox world. Chrysovalantis Kyriacou (Ph.D.) is a lecturer in Ecclesiastical History at the Theological School at the church of Cyprus. He earned his Ph.D. in history at Royal Holloway, University of London, and has also taught at the University of Cyprus. His area of specialty is late antique, Byzantine, medieval, and early modern history and culture, focusing on the role of Cyprus as a place of ethnoreligious encounter, interaction, and contention. Evan Zarkadas (MA) is an independent scholar of European and Medieval history and an educator. He received his master's in history from the University of Maine focusing on Medieval Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, medieval identity, and ethnicity during the late Middle Ages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network