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I come to this podium with a mixture of feelings and motivations that define what I want to say tonight on the occasion of an event whose importance transcends the boundaries of our city: The moral duty, the duty of the State to recognize and honor the organized groups that in their long course contribute to the development of culture and sport in our country. The exploitation of a great opportunity for the transmission and promotion of messages to the Cypriot society. Last but not least, the feeling of the former young man - member of a sporting and cultural family that reminisces the past with the belief in a better future.
The 70-year course of A.P.O.P., as the Pafos Athletic Football Club from 1953 to 2000 and as the Pafos Athletic Cultural Club from the same year until today, is one of the most remarkable chapters in the modern history of our city.
The importance and value of the action of organized associations can be properly and objectively assessed when, among other things, the conditions in which they are established and develop their activity, the aims and objectives of their founders, the environment in which they operate, the means and possibilities they possess and the needs and expectations of the society in which they operate are taken into account.
In the case of the A.P.O.P., the pioneers of its foundation in 1953, during the British colonial rule, aspired for the Association to play a leading role in the development of classical sport and the then emerging sport of football, as well as an essential role in the cultural movement of the then city of Paphos with a noticeable positive impact on its society. We are just a few years after the end of World War II, Paphos is going through the tenth year of Christodoulos Galatopoulos' mayoralty with tangible signs of reformation and spiritual - cultural prosperity, education and sport are important poles of the city's life and political ferment is intense in the local society. The British colonial administration tries in every way to control everything, seeking to prevent the strengthening of the national identity of the Greeks of Cyprus and the desire and struggle for Self-Determination - Union. put Paphos on the football map of Cyprus, with its team playing in the First Division for 19 seasons, recording remarkable performances for the time: five times it won the Second Division championship and four times it qualified for the semi-finals of the Cup. One of these times, which I remember very distinctively, was at Paphiakos, where A.P.O.P. qualified against Pezoporikos with Alafogiannis as goalkeeper. It was one of the most historic moments I remember growing up in the history of A.P.O.P. At the Iakovio Stadium - better known as the G.S.K. Stadium - from 1953 to 1982 and at the Paphos Stadium during the remaining years, the A.P.O.P. football team offered generations of Paphians moments of excitement, euphoria and frustration - these are the inherent elements of football. As an active cell of society, A.P.O.P. could not fail to be associated with the struggles of Cypriot Hellenism to shake off the colonial yoke, to confront the Turkish insurgency of 1963 - 1964, to defend democracy during the traitorous coup of 1974 and to repel the brutal Turkish invasion.
As an active cell of society, A.P.O.P. could not fail to be associated with the struggles of Cypriot Hellenism to shake off the colonial yoke, to confront the Turkish insurgency of 1963 - 1964, to defend democracy during the traitorous coup of 1974 and to repel the brutal Turkish invasion. It is for this reason that nine members and athletes of the club offered their lives on the altar of duty to their country, adorning its history with wonderful and evergreen models of heroism, bravery and philanthropy. 1. Pavlos Michaelas
2. Andreas Tselepos 7. Phidias Stokkos
3. Dimitrios Mavrogenis 8. Sotiris Papalazarou
4. Kostakis Pentaliotis 9. Georgios M. Savva
5. Panikos Pastidis
The year 2000 is a milestone in the history of A.P.O.P. and in the course of sport in our city. Through a transgression whose importance is of great significance with implications beyond the sports field, A.P.O.P. and "Evagoras", the two big and "rival" football clubs of Paphos, join forces and thus a new club is born, the "Athletic Union Paphos". Allow me to briefly dwell on this event, it was something that we were all talking about in the city, but it was two leaders, in the two Associations, one Mr Elias Eliades and the other Averof Neophytou in "Evagoras" who dared to go ahead with something that we were all talking about but no one dared to go ahead with this unification. I would like to take this opportunity tonight to congratulate you for this bold initiative for our city.
It is important to emphasize the importance of joining forces and capabilities of the organized groups and institutions active in the broader public life for the sake of the common interest, i.e. this very civil society that we have to serve. We can, under the same organisational roof and umbrella, maintain our individual 'beliefs', specificities and sensitivities, united by our overriding common goals and objectives. And this is exactly what happened in our city in 2000.
Since 2000, the Pafos Sports Cultural Club, the Association began to record a new page in the sports and cultural events of the city and the Province, which continues successfully until today. In the field of sport, which is the core, the driving force of the action and work of the Association in almost 25 years, dominated by basketball. The orientation of the new Association from the first years of its activity towards the development of this sport in the ranks of people of both sexes from a wide age range, 6 to 18 years, is not only a strategic goal of the Association, but a long-term and profound investment for sport and the society of Paphos.
The work carried out over the years by the Basketball Academy and the other arms of the Association for the dissemination, development and promotion of basketball through various events and activities, including international tournaments, is not only a title of honour for the Association, but also for the city of Paphos and our country. The performance of the Association's teams in championships and other competitions in Cyprus, as well as the participation of the Association's members in national teams that excelled in European competitions, are the fruits of a persistent and commendable effort of various contributors and, at the same time, tangible evidence of the potential and promising prospects of the Association and the basketball sector in our country, culminating in the organization of the EuroBasket in Cyprus in 2025. I assure you that on the part of the State we will do everything possible to make it a successful event.
At the same time there is another dimension that is an undeniable fact that can be seen from the action and the course of all these years of the A.If we look at the results, it is a fact, it is something that we feel particularly proud of, that sport in Paphos is flourishing, in recent years it is also shown by the presence of our Associations, our schools, our athletes in various championships. It is in this context, for example, that it is no coincidence that the winning of the Pancyprian High School Championship in Petrofootball for the second consecutive year by Pafos High School, as well as the winning of the Pancyprian High School Championship in Handball by a Pafos school, is no coincidence at all. A few years ago no one could have imagined such a thing. I am present at this anniversary event and I share the joy and pride of the management and members of the Association, since, in fact, as a young man I was a member of the APOP football team for several years, with our coach Savvakis Stylianou. We experienced important moments but the most important thing was not only the coaching, it was the life lessons we learned from people like Mr. Stylianou and I thank him very much.
At the same time, as someone who has experienced and understands very well the importance and value of sport, I want to take this opportunity tonight to convey the message that both the Government and I personally place sport high on our priorities because we truly believe that it plays a crucial role in the full and proper education and development of our children, adolescents and young people. The sport-culture nexus, based on the principles of ancient Greek philosophy and the achievements of ancient Greek civilisation, has always been a top priority and policy of states and societies that invest in the education-sport dichotomy, inspired by the evergreen truth embodied in the phrase "A healthy mind in a healthy body".
It is my strong belief that we can and must do much more and more efficient things in the field of sport through a holistic approach, taking into account the realities in our society and building on the successful and proven policies and practices of other European Union Member States.
Addressing the President of the Board of Directors of A.P.O.P., dear friend Anita Taliotou, I would like to express my thanks to her and the other members of the Board of Directors of the Association for the honourable invitation to participate in tonight's event.
Welcoming the holding of this modest ceremony and congratulating its participants, I would like to assure you that the Government will be a supporter, always within the financial possibilities of the State, in every effort for the upgrading and strengthening of sport in Paphos and our country in general. To take advantage of the presence of the Vice President of the COA, what we have an obligation to do as a State is to create the conditions for our athletes whether they are in Paphos or Nicosia or in the most remote village to have the same opportunities in sport, so that they can compete on equal terms. There has to be a financial contribution tonight from the COA, I do not know its financial capabilities, nor am I interfering, but I have been informed that the sponsorship for A.P.O.P. is about 18 thousand euros, with a budget of 200 thousand euros, so we cannot leave without contributing at least 15 thousand euros from the COA.
Besides, the role of A.P.O.P. and other Associations and bodies that have a voice and role in sporting events, such as the Federations, but also the Local Authority, is important, and it is necessary to join forces to achieve our goals.
The acronym A.P.O.P. was rightly linked inextricably with the sporting, cultural and social development of Paphos in the second half of the 20th century. I wish and look forward as the course of the Association becomes even more fruitful to seal the present, but more importantly, the future of our city and Province.
(PM/EP/NYAN)
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