Kyriacos Haralambides

His love for Famagusta

''The world was, is and will always be in crisis, political, economic, cultural, crisis of values, crisis of human, alas, survival. Job of the poet is to light a candle in the dark or, if you prefer, n 'flower blossom as a world gloomy selfishness and drought''. (Kyriacos Haralambides)

Kyriakos Charalambides, considered one of the greatest Cypriot poets with a huge collection of poems and he has offer a great cultural and literary heritage in Cyprus. He was born in 1940 in Famagusta Achna. He studied Philosophy at the University of Athens (History and Archaeology). He has done courses at the Drama School of the National Theatre and six months specialization in Radio issues in Munich. For a few years he worked as a philologist in Secondary Education. In 1968 he was appointed to the Cyprus Broadcasting and in recent years he has been Head of the Department of Radio Programs until his retirement (1988).

Through several interviews he has given so far, and since he has been born in Achna of Famagusta, he has never hidden his weakness and the immense love and nostalgia for Famagusta. To a journalist's question about the meaning of the word "Famagusta" the poet replied: '' Of course is not a city under the sand, or " a city straight to jail'', like i say in one of my lyrics, but just the taking city and a place of the Kingdom of Heaven, where no profane hand could no longer touch her. I saw her flesh and the soul, i saw the uprising and the resurrection, i didn't overlooked mistakes, ugliness, retractions, and issues which are related to existential human dimension.What else to say about Famagusta? Do not open the box with perfume. ''.

In an another interview, he was asked, if he had missed the sea of Famagusta and the poet replied disarmingly: '' In the eyes of my soul I continue to see her incredibly loud. I've never been, since became the war. Each day, however, i swim there. But more i swim in Saint Philon, in ancient Karpasia. There I saw turtles and sea urchins and fell in love snakes side in ancient tombs. ''

Then, when he was asked what he remembers intensely in his childhood, the poet replies: '' The summers in Saint Philon, which is the port of Rizokarpaso. We were staying on the beach in a small residence and  I lived there extraordinary moments. I saw sea turtles come out at night on the beach, the fins from sharks to show the deep horizon, the starry sky meets the sea, the raging waves when the north wind was blowing. I remember one night storm, the sea foams and break with the roar of the waves on the rocks. We had a dog, who that night constantly barked to the sea. Then we saw a light, in a distance, in the waves. It was a boat, and it struggled to reach the shore to save himself. My mother then put us to pray to God to help those people. Eventually they arrived at the beach. My father ran to take care of them. After, they took breath, light a fire to dry, they started singing and dancing. Incredibly powerful moments! ''

But what is the poet's opinion on the current situation in Cyprus? '' Indeed, we passes hard times. We experience what we call "to the shift against", as we passed suddenly from happiness to absolute misery. And this is due to Europe's analgesia. I have the feeling that we perform under European occupation. Yes,possession! I notice, however, that we have a problem with temper, perhaps because we are not aware of what happened, it is not consequences visible yet. I am glad for the people of Cyprus, because they have courage, tenacity, authenticity and solidarity. Cypriot people deserve a better fate ... ''

In closing, it is worth to mention some beautiful and sincere words of the poet, which they can't leave anyone unmoved. We will surely appreciate the greatness of his soul : '' I want people to love me, because I don't want to hate me. And I don't want them to hate me, because i don't want to muddy the water in my heart. 
If you don't love and if you can't be loved, then why did you came to this world? Love is a requirement of our existence. ''