It is a great honour and a great emotion to be the speaker at this event of the unveiling of the bust of Loizos Adamides here in Nikitari, his birthplace. A man who throughout his life worked selflessly as a beacon of decency, kindness and uninterrupted offer to his fellow human beings.
Yes, Loizos Adamides was the teacher, the fighter, the scout, the man. Examples of people like Loizos Adamides make any society stronger in facing the challenges it faces, especially in trying to form characters among young people who are distinguished for their ethos, their personal and collective values, their mutual respect and their philanthropy.
Throughout his life this ethos and values are reflected in his life. He never gave in to the difficulties of life and always sought ways to contribute to his fellow human beings and his country.
Born on February 25, 1939, he was the sixth child of Pantelis and Agatha.
He was the sixth child of Pantelis and Agatha. When he finished the Nikitarion Elementary School, his father sent him to the Greek Gymnasium of Morphou, where he attended, living with his godparents' family in Kato Zodia. He was a good student and always tried, in addition to his friendships with other children, to help his godparents, as well as his father during the summer holidays, in their agricultural activities. When he finished high school in 1957 he sought work in Nicosia, where he ended up as a secretary at the Ministry of Education. In the meantime, the activities of EOKA did not leave him unmoved. At the same time, respecting his father's wishes, he took his exams and succeeded in gaining admission to the Cyprus Teachers' College, from which he graduated in 1960.
At the same time, respecting his father's wishes, he took his exams and succeeded in gaining admission to the Cyprus Teachers' College, from which he graduated in 1960. His first appointment was in Chandria, and in the same year he became engaged to his classmate and fellow countrywoman Ellenitsa, who was also a teacher appointed in Galata. The following year they married and both served education as teachers at the Galata Primary School. Very soon they won the esteem and respect of all for their teaching and social contribution.
In 1962, Loizos Adamides joined the ranks of Scouting, which he served out of love first for the children, whom he wanted happy and smiling. Very quickly he climbed the ranks and became Curator of the Morphos district, establishing and organizing scouting systems in various places.
His whole personality, the prestige and esteem he enjoyed, brought him during the period of the Turkandarsia in charge of a platoon of volunteers from the villages of Galata, Kakopetria and Mount Sinai. With proper training they guarded at night in the area of Lefka, Kalo Chorio, St. George, Elia, Agolemio, Kaziveres and Pentagia, where the Turks threatened the safety of the Greek Cypriots by creating an enclave. When Turkish planes bombed the Greek positions at Xeros, Loizos Adamides was with his platoon south of Pentagia, from where they escaped via the river Clary.
The Turkish invasion found him a teacher in Nikitari with his wife and two other teachers. In consultation with the General Curator of the Cyprus Scout Corps and government officials, he was given responsibility for the Civil Defence of the Morphou area.
With the help of ranks of the Morphou Ephorate he undertook the registration of refugees, the issuing of refugee identity cards, the settling in places of residence, the distribution of food and clothing, the organization of village women to bake bread and its distribution. With the help of other members of the Ephorate of Scouts, they created a camping site in Timi of Paphos, for the accommodation of thousands of refugee children.
The Ministry of Education, in recognition of his activity in Scouting, gives him first a partial and later a full posting in the administration of the Cyprus Scouts Corps. He becomes director of the offices of the Body and as Curator he serves in all positions, representing it at various conferences abroad. After 40 years of service he retired as a director of primary education schools.
At the same time, Loizos Adamides served the community in other positions as well. He was President or Member of councils of social, religious, national, sports and other associations and societies. His involvement in trade unionism was also substantial, as he served in various positions in the Pancyprian Organization of Greek Teachers. In addition, he was a member of the Association of Fighters, Vice President of the Retired Teachers, President of the Non-Smoking Movement in Nicosia.
In Agios Dometios, as a member of the Committee, he helped in the building of the St. Paul's Church.
In his village, Nikitari, which he loved and never forgot, on his own initiative the Kindergarten was built, which serves the villages of the surrounding area, he founded the Association of Expatriates and Friends of Nikitari, he contributed to the building of the Memorial of the Fallen with the busts of the heroes of the village from World War II, the struggle of EOKA and the Turkish invasion.
In addition, the magnificent church of Apostle Andrew in Nikitari was built with him as chairman of the Committee and in cooperation with the Metropolitan of Morphou, the residents of Nikitari and the Association of Expatriates. On his own initiative, the donors of the land for the building of the church were found.
From all his activities and his contribution to the community, he was remembered by his fellow citizens as a man of giving, kindness and support. Besides his family and scouting, his two other great loves were Nikitari and Lower Zodiac. He always remembered his early life at his hometown elementary school, Our Lady of Assino, St. John the Baptist Church, farm chores and playing with his friends. And later in Lower Zodia, with his six years of secondary schooling, he became so attached to the people there as if he himself were a native of the area.
Throughout the course of his life he was honored:
-By the President of the Republic for his participation in the liberation struggle of EOKA,
-By Metropolitan Neofytos of Morfu for his contribution to the building of the Apostle Andrew Church in Nikitari and his continuous cooperation,
-By the President of the Cyprus Scout Corps for the building of the chapel of St. George in Platanias,
-With the Supreme Scout Award of the Cyprus Scout Corps,
-With the highest distinction of the Greek Scout Corps, as well as with other distinctions for his contribution to Scouting,
-With an honorary diploma for his participation as a volunteer in the fight against Turkantarsia in 1963-64,
-With an honorary distinction from his village of Nikitari for his great contribution,
-With honors from the schools in which he served, as well as a distinction from the Ministry of Education for his 40 years of service.
With his multifaceted activities, Loizos Adamides never neglected his family. He loved his three children, Kleanthis, Pantelakis and Alkis, whom he was fortunate to see the first a lawyer, the second an economist and the third an accountant, just as he loved his five grandchildren.
Loizos Adamides passed away on March 18, 2020, from a heart attack, at the age of 81. He left leaving unfinished the project of erecting a Memorial to the Fallen Scouts, for which the site was designated in cooperation with the Mayor of Strovolos.
He left with the sorrow of a divided homeland.
He left with the sorrow of a divided homeland. He wanted it united, free and prosperous. As is and remains our goal in the fight against Turkish intransigence.
On behalf of the President of the Republic, I congratulate the President and the members of the Nikitari Community Council for the erection and unveiling of the bust of the chosen son of the community, the Master, the Scout, the Man, the Fighter Loizos Adamides.
Such initiatives help us to keep alive the memory of our compatriots, whose national and social action allows us to draw lessons and models to chart our path to the future.
Together I express to the family of Loizos Adamides our great appreciation and gratitude for his contribution, wishing that the struggles and sacrifices in his life for the good of his fellow human beings and our country will be fully successful, as he wanted and envisioned.
Thank you.
(PM/NG/IC)
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