THE
ARMENIANS
OF CYPRUS
23
1928. In the past, Armenian schools also operated at
the Magaravank, in Famagusta, in Amiandos and
elsewhere. Between 1897-1904, the renowned scholar
Vahan Kurkjian (Pagouran) also operated the
“National Educational Orphanage” in Nicosia.
The famous Melkonian Educational Institute was built
between 1924 and 1926 after the generous and
benevolent donation of tobacco trading brothers
Krikor and Garabed Melkonian, initially to house
about 500 orphans of the Armenian Genocide. The
grove in front of it was planted by those first orphans,
in memory of their perished relatives. It evolved from
an orphanage (1926-1940) to a renowned secondary
school (1934-2005) with a boarding section. A unique
and unparalleled achievement, the Melkonian was a
beacon of hope and culture for Armenianism and
Armenophony across the world, boasting an
international membership of Armenian students from
all over the globe and rightly called an ambassador of
Cyprus to the world. In addition to its rich library and
well-equipped laboratories, the Melkonian had a
theatre and a dance group, a choir, a band, football,
basketball and volleyball teams, as well as the
historically important 7th Cyprus Boy Scouts Group and
9th Cyprus Girl Guides Company.
Also known as “an island within an island”, it had a
great educational and cultural impact on the
Armenian-Cypriot community, organising various
events and publishing, amongst others, the famous
“Ayk” magazine, the oldest Armenian secondary
school magazine (1937-2006). The school was
administered by the New York-based Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU), which unilaterally
closed it down in June 2005, notwithstanding
Panarmenian and Pancyprian reactions. Thanks to the
efforts of the Office of the Armenian Representative
and the assistance of the Melkonian Alumni leaders, a
permanent ministerial decree was issued by the
government of Cyprus on 23 February 2007, declaring
60% of its total area (12,4 hectares) as having a
“special architectural, historical and social character
and natural beauty”.
l
The 4th Cyprus Boy Scouts’ Group of the Nicosia
Nareg School (1976).
l
Lesson at the “Nanor” Armenian
Childcare Centre (2015)
