Nicosia: The Cyprus issue, relations with the US, and Cyprus' role in the region were among the topics students from the United States of Cypriot and Greek heritage who are currently visiting Cyprus as part of a study trip organised by the Washington-based American Hellenic Institute (AHI), said they discussed with President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides welcomed the students to the Presidential Palace on Monday morning. During the meeting, AHI President Nick Larigakis, who accompanied the group, presented President Christodoulides with a commemorative plaque featuring the AHI's special logo marking the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States. Following the meeting, the students were given a tour of the Presidential Palace.
This is AHI's 18th annual Student Foreign Policy Trip aimed at educating the next generation of Greek American and Cypriot American leaders 'and to make them aware on the issues of the Eastern Mediterranean that the organisation was founded for in 1974, and who's been advocating in Washington for the last 52 years', Larigakis said in statements to the media after the meeting.
Maria Kyriakou, from Chicago, Illinois, a student at the University of Virginia, expressed that meeting with the President 'was so meaningful'. She reflected on her grandparents' origins from Cyprus and what it means for her as a Cypriot American to engage in geopolitical discussions relevant to Cyprus and the US on a global scale.
Lucas Koutsoukos from Milton, Connecticut, a student at Yale, described the meeting with President Christodoulides as 'a fascinating experience'. He noted his family's roots in Arcadia, Greece, but found it 'incredible to learn more about the history of Cyprus, the current geopolitical situation regarding Cyprus, Greece, the United States, and other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean'. He also found it 'fascinating' to learn about the contemporary culture of the island and the potential experiences of the diaspora in Cyprus and Greece.
When asked about their inquiries to the President, Kyriakou mentioned she questioned his administration's efforts for open dialogue with the Turkish Cypriots concerning the Cyprus issue. Koutsoukos highlighted questions on geostrategic relations and discussed the diaspora's role in assisting Greece and Cyprus. He emphasized their interest in their heritage, history, and culture, and their desire to assist through lobbying Congress or raising awareness about the Cyprus issue. He stated, 'We want to be able to play a more active role regarding our heritage countries and their ability to compete on the European and global stages'.
The students also reported visiting Larnaca and 'particularly interesting areas' in the occupied regions, with plans to visit the Cyprus Centre for Land, Open Seas and Port Security (CYCLOPS).