New York, 18 April 2018
It was held on Wednesday (18.4.18) with great success at the Asian Cultural Center in New York, the China-Cyprus Cultural Festival, where the exhibition of Cypriot stamps was presented. The event was held under the auspices of the Consulate General of Cyprus in New York and the Asian Cultural Center in the United States.
In his address, the Consul General of Cyprus in New York, Ambassador Vasilios Philippou, welcomed the attendees, and thanked the Asian Cultural Center for the organization of the China-Cyprus Cultural Festival. He pointed out that the festival is a cultural event that unites Cyprus and China and strengthens the cultural relations of the two countries.
“In Cyprus, the first modern postage stamps appeared in 1864, and since then the Republic of Cyprus began issuing on a regular basis, a limited edition of series each year. The stamps of Cyprus are a Cultural Ambassador that travels all over the world and presents the Cypriot traditions and history of Cyprus,” he said.
The Director of the Press Office of China, Mr. Peilan Zhang, represented the Consul General of the People’s Republic of Cyprus, Ambassador Zhang Qiyue, and conveyed her regards and congratulated Mr. Philippou’s remarkable initiative.
“I recalled that in 1971, here in New York, the two countries, China and Cyprus, signed the joint communiqué to establish their diplomatic relations” Mr. Zhang said. He also mentioned the long-standing friendly relations between the two countries and their ongoing cooperation for achieving their mutual goals. He added that both Cyprus and China have a history of thousands of years with rich cultures.
The event included traditional Chinese and Cypriot traditional dances, Chinese music and handicrafts, while Chinese traditional dishes and Cypriot wines were served. At the end of the event, Mr. Philippou and Mr. Zhang exchanged commemorative gifts.