Cyprus 1974: The Day After (Twelfth Biennial Andrew David Memorial Lecture)

Since 2004, the Hellenic Community Trust has hosted biennial lectures to honor the memory and celebrate the life of Andreas A. David, a founding member, great supporter, and benefactor of the Hellenic Centre. This year, the twelfth Andreas A. David Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Professor Petros Papapolyviou, Dean of the Faculty of Letters at the University of Cyprus and Associate Professor of Modern Greek History. 

In his lecture, Professor Papapolyviou will explore the aftermath of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. He will discuss how the Republic of Cyprus, just 14 years after its establishment, faced enormous political and other challenges. The lecture will address the significant economic and social consequences of the invasion, including the urgent need to house tens of thousands of refugees, the economic reconstruction, humanitarian issues such as missing and enclaved persons, and the restoration of international transport links. 

The Hellenic Centre has been hosting the Andreas A. David Memorial Lecture since 2004 on behalf of the Hellenic Community Trust. Andreas A. David was instrumental in founding the Hellenic Centre in 1994 and served as its first chairman, working tirelessly to secure its future. His vision was to not only preserve but also to promote all aspects of Hellenic culture and heritage to the British public. Today, the Centre stands as a thriving international success, welcoming all Philhellenes. 

Over the years, distinguished speakers such as Donald Keough, Stephen Bosworth, Leila Fawaz, Sir Basil Markesinis, the Very Reverend Dr. John Chryssavgis, Sir Christopher Pissarides, Lord Dobbs of Wylye, Edward Schumacher-Matos, and Bruce Clarke have been invited to deliver the Andreas A. David Memorial Lecture. This year’s lecture by Professor Papapolyviou promises to be a significant contribution to this tradition. 

Petros Papapolyviou
Petros Papapolyviou was born in Nicosia in 1960 and lived in Lapithos in the province of Kyrenia, until the Turkish invasion in Cyprus, in 1974. He is a graduate of the School of Philosophy and a Doctor of Philosophy from the Department of History and Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Professor Papapolyviou is the Dean of the Faculty of Letters at the University of Cyprus. He has been teaching Contemporary Greek History at the University of Cyprus since 2002, where he is currently an Associate Professor of Modern Greek History. His research interests and writing work are mainly focused on modern Greek history and the political history of Cyprus between 1878-2008.