Cyprus President Honors Nikos Mouyiaris: A Legacy of Patriotism and Philanthropy

Nikos Mouyiaris reached the pinnacle of American life — in business, successful philanthropy, successful civic involvement — while prioritizing Hellenism each azygous day. Photo courtesy of: www.nikosmouyiaris.wordpress.com

President Nikos Christodoulides of the Republic of Cyprus delivered a moving code successful representation of the precocious Nikos Mouyiaris, a distinguished subordinate of the Cypriot diaspora successful the U.S. The event, organized by the Elytis Chair of Modern Greek Studies astatine Rutgers University, celebrated Mouyiaris’s immense contributions to his homeland.

President Christodoulides highlighted Mouyiaris’s heavy patriotism and unwavering dedication to the Cyprus cause. He described Mouyiaris arsenic a “fighter successful each consciousness of the word” who worked tirelessly for the reunification of the land done his engagement with organizations similar PSEKA.

Nikos Mouyiaris: A beingness of giving

Mouyiaris, who passed distant successful 2019, was besides a passionate protagonist of Greek culture, a emotion reflected successful his patronage of the Elytis Chair, a testament to his peculiar affection for the poesy of Odysseas Elytis. The President noted that Mouyiaris’s beingness and bequest resonated with the themes of Elytis’s masterpiece, Axion Esti.

A mediocre pupil from Cyprus, Mouyiaris pursued studies successful chemic engineering astatine Rutgers and St. John’s Universities, took a $6,000 loan, and founded Mana Products, Inc. — one of the world’s starring declaration and backstage statement cosmetics manufacturers. As a existent believer successful the American Dream, Nikos was peculiarly moved erstwhile his idiosyncratic travel was marked with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Mouyiaris was surely an illustration of the American Dream, but helium was an illustration of the Greek-American Dream. He reached the pinnacle of American life — in business, successful philanthropy, successful civic involvement — while prioritizing Hellenism each azygous day.

A Greek proverb holds that “A nine grows large erstwhile aged men works trees whose shadiness they cognize they shall ne'er beryllium it.” Mouyiaris planted full forests. He founded HALC and gave it the mandate to rapidly cultivate tomorrow’s leaders successful the Greek-American Community, 1 of his biggest passions.

Cyprus: From occupation to solution

President Christodoulides speaks astir the bequest of Mouyiaris and the Cyprus occupation successful New York. Credit: Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus

In his address, President Christodoulides challenged the conception of Cyprus being perpetually defined by the Cyprus problem. While acknowledging the ongoing conflict for liberation and reunification arsenic the apical priority, helium stressed that Cyprus should not beryllium seen arsenic a “hostage successful History,” a operation coined by writer Christopher Hitchens.

Instead, the President framed Cyprus arsenic a important “solution to galore issues,” a unchangeable and reliable spouse successful a volatile region. He emphasized its strategical geographical presumption arsenic a earthy and taste span betwixt continents. This advantage, combined with its presumption arsenic an EU subordinate state, allows Cyprus to service arsenic a gateway connecting the portion with the EU and the U.S.

Christodoulides highlighted Cyprus’s relation successful promoting determination stableness done initiatives similar “Amaltheia,” which provides humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and its assistance successful evacuating overseas nationals during crises. The country’s increasing relation successful vigor is besides a cardinal factor, with the find of earthy state reserves successful its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) fostering partnerships with large vigor companies similar Exxon and Chevron.

Nikos Mouyiaris is simply a premier illustration of Diaspora’s influential role

The President noted that bilateral relations betwixt the U.S. and Cyprus person ne'er been stronger, reaching a strategical level successful each areas. He praised the captious relation of the Cypriot diaspora successful the U.S., peculiarly their contributions to the pursuit of a conscionable solution for Cyprus and the strengthening of Cypriot-American relations. He singled retired Nikos Mouyiaris arsenic a premier illustration of this influential role.

To grant Mouyiaris’s legacy, President Christodoulides announced a donation of $20,000 connected behalf of the Republic of Cyprus to the Elytis Chair of Modern Greek Studies, ensuring the continuation of its invaluable work.