The Association of Rizokarpasso in Britain was represented at the World Conference Of Cyprus Diaspora, (POMAK), in Nicosia, by Maria McVey, Joanna Vikentio Nicola and Mary Karaolis. We were pleased to meet at the Conference delegates Kostas Kolatsis from South Africa and Michael Mechanicou from Australia. We were delighted that the new President of POMAK is Christos Karaolis whose grandmother Andriana Hadjiyiangou was born in Rizokarpasso.

Following the Conference, Rizokarpasso Kinodarchis and member of the Union of Displaced Communities of Famagusta, Michalis Mikeli Panteli, together with Elena Vlasiou, President of the Association of Rizokarpasso in Cyprus met at the Union of Displaced Communities of Famagusta, (Ένωσις Εκτοπισμένων Κοινοτήτων Αμμοχώστου) (Ε.Ε.Κ.Α.), in Larnaca with Mary Karaolis, President of the Association of Rizokarpasso in Britain, and Rizokarpassides Kostas Kolatsis from South Africa, Michael Mechanicou from Australia and Christos Karaolis President of the National Federation of Cypriots in UK and President POMAK.

We discussed a wide range of issues including the problems faced by the enclaved Rizokarpassides such as movement, culture and religion; the issues the schools in Rizokarpasso have to deal with and how this impacts on the students education;  how to maintain and enhance the Rizokarpasso associations; how to enlighten and inform the wider community in Cyprus and overseas about Rizokarpasso, eg its traditions, history and current existence under Turkish occupation; the problems created by illegal settlers in Rizokarpasso using the properties legally owned by Rizokarpassides in Cyprus and overseas.