On March 27, 2026, the General Lyceum of Monemvasia, in collaboration with the «G. Ritsos» Gymnasium, held a significant event to commemorate April 1st as the Day of Remembrance for the beginning of the Cypriot National Liberation Struggle (1955-1959) against British colonial rule. This gathering took place in the school’s Multipurpose Hall and saw the participation of the entire student community from both the Gymnasium and Lyceum, along with invited guests of Cypriot descent.
The event featured esteemed speakers, including Mr. Kyriakos Ioannou, President of the Literary and Criticism Society, and Dr. Manolis Stergioulis, a former School Advisor for Philologists in Laconia. The proceedings began with a welcoming address from Mr. Nikolaos Vlachos, the Education Advisor representing the Municipality of Monemvasia. Following this, the Principal of the General Lyceum, Ms. Maria Kountouri, provided a brief overview of the history of British presence in Cyprus leading up to the liberation struggle, as well as the Turkish invasion of 1974, the missing persons, and the recent «repatriation» of fallen Greek soldiers.
The invited speakers elaborated on the enduring and systematic involvement of Cypriot youth in the National Liberation Struggle, highlighting significant figures such as Evagoras Pallikaridis and Andreas Panagidis, with particular emphasis on the National Martyr and Hero Grigoris Afxentiou. They presented unique evidence of the unwavering faith of Cypriot fighters in their long-desired vision of shaking off British rule and uniting Cyprus with Greece. The speakers also connected these historical figures to their literary representations in the works of renowned poets like Kostas Montis and Kyriakos Charalambidis. Mr. Kyriakos Ioannou concluded his presentation by gifting a collector’s edition from the Literary and Criticism Society to Mr. Dimitrios Tountas, the Principal of the Gymnasium, for the school’s library.
Musical interludes were provided by George Mastoras, a student from the third grade of the Lyceum, who performed iconic songs related to the Cypriot struggle, accompanied by his piano, even singing in the Cypriot dialect. Additionally, students Konstantinos-Ernesto Giannisis and Dimitrios Psychogios recited poignant excerpts from the lengthy poem «Farewell,» composed by the poet Giannis Ritsos in honor of Grigoris Afxentiou and his martyrdom in the Machairas Cave.
The event organizers expressed their gratitude to the Municipality of Monemvasia for the sound coverage and to Mr. Dimitrios Giannisis and Ms. Fotini Papoutsis for hosting the speakers. They extended a heartfelt thank you to the speakers and participating students, emphasizing that the event provided an opportunity to «rise higher,» allowing attendees to engage, even briefly, with the highest values of freedom and human dignity.
