THE
ARMENIANS
OF CYPRUS
11
number of Armenians in Cyprus increased significantly
after the massive deportations, the horrific massacres
and the Genocide perpetrated by the Ottomans and
the Young Turks (1894-1896, 1909 & 1915-1923). Cyprus
widely opened its arms to welcome over 10.000
refugees from Cilicia, Smyrna and Constantinople, who
arrived in Larnaka and all the other harbours, some
by chance, others by intent; about 1.500 of them made
Cyprus their new home. Industrious, cultivated and
l
The students of Vahan Kurkjian’s
orphanage (1899).
l
Post-card showing the then newly-built Melkonian Educational Institute (1926).
l
The famous Melikian School Band (1930), founded by renowned
musician Vahan Bedelian in 1926. The exiled King of Arabia, Hussein
bin Ali, donated new musical instruments to it in 1927.
progressive, they brought a new life into the old
community and did not need long to thrive and
establish themselves as people of the arts, letters
and sciences, capable entrepreneurs and formidable
merchants, unsurpassed craftsmen and photographers,
as well as pioneering professionals who introduced
new crafts, dishes and sweets to the island, thus
significantly contributing to Cyprus’ socioeconomic
and cultural development.
