Tonight I have the pleasure and the special honor to participate in the event of the Association of Friends of Agia Skepi. And I am particularly moved and at the same time particularly proud.
Moved because of the multifaceted and essential work that Agia Skepi selflessly and lovingly offers to our fellow human beings who have been led into the dead ends of drug addiction, all of which I was blessed to see first hand just as I was starting my campaign for the presidency of the Republic last year. And I remember very well how much I admired the work, but above all the dedication of the people of Agia Skepi, but also the feelings of our fellow citizens who were hosted there, and I had the opportunity to talk to them, to hear first-hand their experiences.
Agia Skepi, which is an initiative of His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios, since 1999 in the village of Filani when it received its first admissions, continues to be a safe haven of care and rehabilitation for our compatriots in need and for this I warmly and from the bottom of my heart congratulate all those who contribute to its work.
To date, Agia Skepi, now a member of the European Federation of Therapeutic Communities, has accommodated and supported more than 1,000 of our fellow human beings. At the same time, its programs and activities have expanded with a counseling station in Aglantzia, programs for women, mothers and children, social reintegration programs for families, programs for teenage users and much more. This is something we must take into account. It is not only treatment, reintegration is also very important.
That is why I am proud to stand before my fellow citizens, who, through their attitude to life and their active contribution to their fellow man, demonstrate in practice the essential power of regeneration inherent in the concept of dedication to a good cause.
As is widely known, the history of human civilization begins at the very moment when the scholar-scientist first spotted a human skeleton, which had received trauma care in order to survive.
This concept of the care of one human being for another, this active concern for one's fellow man, is the origin of the concept of civilization.
It is precisely for this reason that I am proud, because with the noble initiative of tonight's event, the concept of culture as an integral part of care and concern for one's fellow man acquires essential meaning and content, as we here in Cyprus have learned to turn pain into care and care into culture and rebirth.
With tonight's event, on the one hand, the valuable work of Agia Skepi is strengthened and on the other hand, with the contribution of the performance of the "Romiosini Cultural Association", the historical memory of a crucial moment for Hellenism will come alive before us.
With tonight's event, on the one hand, the valuable work of Agia Skepi is strengthened and on the other hand, with the contribution of the performance of the "Romiosini Cultural Association", the historical memory of a capital moment for Hellenism will come alive before us.
Thus, through the tribute to Asia Minor and the reminder of the experience of expatriation and destruction, which, however, evolved into a rebirth and a magnificent contribution of the refugees of Asia Minor to the entire Hellenism, the pain and anguish of our fellow human beings who are fighting the battle against the destructive mania of drugs, seeking in Agia Skepi a way of rebirth, comes to our minds.
As the new President of the Republic of Cyprus, I declare my determination that the state will continue to offer support to associations, organisations and organised bodies that are people-centred, offering vital support to the whole society.
I am well aware that, without this private initiative, the state does not have all this infrastructure, and as part of my election campaign, a few days before the first Sunday of the elections, I was in the free province of Famagusta and visited a centre where elderly people were hosted to talk to them. And when I finished my visit, a young boy from the area was waiting for me outside, who insisted on speaking to me in a strong tone. Some wanted to accompany me, I told them to let me go alone to talk to him and the complaint of this boy, Socrates, was that two months earlier he had buried his younger brother by drugs. His big complaint was that in that area the state had not made sure that there were centers, like St. Scepe, to be able to deal with this kind of thing.
Socrates' brother was not lucky like others who had the opportunity.
In order to be able to say that we are a state proud of our country, of our state, of our government, of the Republic of Cyprus, the first thing we have to ensure is that - always in cooperation with centres like Agia Skepi but also with the state playing a leading role - we support such initiatives which are important to exist throughout free Cyprus. And if I want to keep something from my presence here tonight, which is a sign of recognition and appreciation for the work that is being done, it is this promise to all of you that, through clear programming, we will make sure that our fellow citizens, wherever they live in free Cyprus, when they have to face such difficult situations, will have an Agia Skepi by their side.
(PM/NG)
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