As part of the two-day events held in Thessaloniki on 7 and 8 May 2025 to mark the 70th anniversary of the start of the EOKA liberation struggle of 1955–1959, a commemorative event was held this evening, Thursday 8 May 2025, at the Ministry of the Interior (Macedonia–Thrace Department) in Thessaloniki. During the event, the Press and Information Office presented its exhibition titled “70 YEARS OF EOKA 1955–59”. The exhibition, inaugurated by the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Constantinos Ioannou, and the Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Hellenic Republic, responsible for Macedonia–Thrace affairs, Mr. Konstantinos P. Gioulekas, serves as a significant milestone of historical remembrance and honour for the national liberation struggle of EOKA.
The event, co-organised by the Press and Information Office of the Republic of Cyprus and the Consulate General of the Republic of Cyprus in Thessaloniki, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior of the Hellenic Republic (Macedonia–Thrace Department), was attended by representatives of the Greek Government, the Hellenic Parliament, the Church of Greece, local and regional authorities, the Greek Armed Forces and the National Guard, the Cypriot community, Thessaloniki’s diplomatic corps, as well as figures from the arts and literary world.
In his address, the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Constantinos Ioannou, stated:
“The EOKA struggle was the authentic expression of the collective will of an entire people striving for the supreme good of freedom. Seventy years on, that struggle continues to inspire and guide us.”
He further emphasised that “our goal is clear and non-negotiable: the liberation and reunification of our homeland based on a just, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem,” noting that “the President of the Republic of Cyprus is working towards this direction, despite ongoing provocations and the intransigence of the Turkish side.”
Referring to the exhibition by the Press and Information Office, Mr. Ioannou underlined that it captures “all forms of the struggle: operations, arrests, imprisonments, executions, but also the hidden moments of resistance and solidarity among the people.” He stressed that “the photographs, newspaper clippings, and personal accounts are fragments of memory that compose the mosaic of a heroic period for both Cyprus and the global Hellenic community.”
In his brief greeting, the Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Hellenic Republic responsible for Macedonia–Thrace, Mr. Konstantinos P. Gioulekas, said that “the EOKA struggle stands shoulder to shoulder with the great struggles of Hellenism – with Salamis, Marathon, Thermopylae, the Byzantine campaigns, and the battles of Korytsa (Korçë) and Argyrokastro (Gjirokastër).” He lamented that “sadly, the epic of 1955–59 is not widely known in depth among many modern Greeks.”
Mr. Gioulekas also highlighted that Greece and Cyprus share a history rich in sacrifice and bloodshed: “sacrifices for which we are immensely proud, because our freedom today is owed to those who fought for the homeland.” He concluded that “it is a duty of honour to pass on these messages across generations so that young people understand what the EOKA fighters left behind.”
In her remarks, the Director of the Press and Information Office, Ms. Aliki Stylianou, praised the importance of preserving historical memory. She stated that the exhibition “seeks to create a dialogue between past and present, to invite the visitor to learn and better understand the events that shaped our course – the struggles and sacrifices of yesterday that have shaped our today.”
“The photographic material and press articles on display,” Ms. Stylianou noted, “come exclusively from the archives of the Press and Information Office and represent a treasure trove embodying the spirit of the time – the longing of Cypriot Hellenism for freedom, the people’s desire to embrace their homeland as truly their own, along with moments of pain, sacrifice, hardship, dignity, and strength.”
She concluded by emphasising: “Every moment in time has something to tell us – about humanity, society, emotion, and life then. About where we were and where we are now.”
The event’s keynote speaker was the Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Cyprus, Mr. Petros Papapolyviou, who highlighted the significance and dimensions of the EOKA epic for both Cyprus and Hellenism more broadly. “The principal weapons of EOKA’s men and women were virtue, the dream of a freer tomorrow, hope, patriotism, and love for Greece – qualities that may seem incomprehensible in today’s era of alienation for both Hellenism and humanity,” he said. He stressed that “today, in times of confusion and distraction, the EOKA struggle remains one of the brightest periods in Cyprus’s long history – a struggle for freedom that gave pride and confidence to Cypriot Hellenism.”
Welcoming attendees, the Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Constantinos Polykarpou, remarked that through this and other events organised by the Consulate General in Thessaloniki, “we are expressing our gratitude and giving back to the city that educated Matsis, hosted Avgoustinos, and embraced Cypriots after the 1974 invasion. We also repay the blood of Macedonia’s children who sacrificed themselves for Cyprus and who are still burying the island’s missing.”
Mr. Polykarpou also noted that “we are called to measure ourselves against the weight of our responsibility to Cyprus’s history – to our national consciousness, the unity of Hellenism, the protection and empowerment of the Republic of Cyprus, and the struggle until liberation from occupation and the reunification of Cyprus.”
The exhibition “70 YEARS OF EOKA 1955–59”, presented by the Press and Information Office, serves as a major milestone in commemorating and preserving the historical memory of EOKA’s liberation struggle. Displayed on illuminated panels, it features rare photographic material and newspaper clippings from the Office’s archives. Through these historic records, visitors can explore the story and deeply engage with both the spirit of the time and the heroic fight of the Cypriots for freedom and self-determination.
The exhibition “70 YEARS OF EOKA 1955–59” will be open to the public at the Ministry of the Interior (Macedonia–Thrace Department), Thessaloniki, from 9 to 30 May 2025. It can be visited on weekdays from 09:00 to 15:00 and on weekends from 11:00 to 19:00.
Earlier today, Minister of the Interior Mr. Constantinos Ioannou attended the dance-theatre performance titled “Golden-Green Leaf Cast in the Sea”, held at the Karapantsios Cultural Centre in Ampelokipi, dedicated to Cyprus.
Mr. Ioannou congratulated the contributors for their excellent organisation and underlined the importance of preserving historical memory and passing on the values of the EOKA struggle to younger generations.
A historic exhibition in Thessaloniki is marking 70 years since the start of the EOKA liberation struggle (1955–1959) for Cyprus’s freedom from British colonial rule. Organised by Cypriot and Greek authorities, the event features rare photographs, newspaper clippings, and tributes to the fighters who shaped modern Cypriot identity.
Also read: President Christodoulides in Thessaloniki for commemorative events on Cyprus tragedy
Source: PIO
