Last March, the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, in collaboration with the Association of Unaccompanied Children Hosted in Greece 1974–1979, presented the photo album Like Their Own Child. The story of the children who were hosted in Greece immediately following the Turkish invasion of 1974 is one of the most painful and, at the same time, most moving aspects of Cyprus’s modern history, which unfortunately remained unknown for many years. The album, which presents, through a wealth of archival material, the hospitality extended to Cypriots in Greece from 1974 through 1979, is not intended solely for those who suffered the tragic consequences of Turkish atrocities, but primarily to younger generations, as its main goal is to strengthen the collective historical memory not only of the people who experienced a tragedy, but also of all those who are born and raised amid its ruins.

The event began with the screening of a short film about the reception of Cypriot children in Greece, followed by welcoming remarks from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms. Anita Dimitriou, the President of the Association of Unaccompanied Children Hosted in Greece 1974–1979, Mr. Andreas Theodosiou, the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees -Enclaved-Missing-Victims, Mr. Nikos Kettiros; and the mayor of Elis, Mr. Christos Christodoulopoulos—which was read by Ms. Theoni Georgopoulou, president of the Elis Municipal Council. The presentation concluded with three testimonies from Cypriots who were hosted in Greece in 1974, as well as the account of a Cypriot mother who sent her children to Greece, driven by the painful decision to separate from them in order to keep them safe from the war. In her remarks, Ms. Dimitriou described the publication as a “token of gratitude” to the families and institutions that selflessly hosted the children—from Pyrgos in Elis to Crete, and from Thessaloniki to Kalymnos.

Comprising six sections, this publication presents, through photographs, testimonies, contemporary newspaper articles, personal and public documents, letters, and other evidence, the hospitality shown to the Kypriopoulos family in Greece from the moment the initiative was taken by the Holy Metropolis of Elis and Oleni until the idea spread throughout nearly the entire country, their departure from Limassol and arrival in Piraeus, the warm welcome from the Greek people along the route to Pyrgos, Elis, and other subsequent destinations, the children’s time away from home and their families but in the warm embrace of Greece, as well as their return to Cyprus. It also highlights the strong emotional bonds that were formed at that time and are maintained to this day, as the publication devotes a significant number of pages to contemporary acts of remembrance and gratitude.

Most of the material in this publication—particularly that concerning the reception of children in the prefecture of Elis—was provided by the Association of Unaccompanied Children Hosted in Greece, 1974–1979. However, in order to shed as comprehensive a light as possible on the subject, the Hellenic Parliament’s editorial team sought out and collected additional material from as many regions of Greece as possible, drawing on scattered and diverse sources of information. It should be emphasized that this album does not attempt to conduct historical research, pass judgment, or draw conclusions, but rather to capture the unique lived experience of a significant number of Cypriots who are now adults.