THE MARONITES OF CYPRUS ENGLISH

THE MARONITES OF CYPRUS●The renovated building of the old kindergarten in Kormakitis,which presently operates as Folkloric Museum.●Scene from a gathering of the 99th Maronite Scouts Group.Foundations and Clubs●The Asomatos Youth Association football team.The determination of the Maronite community to survive and to preserve its cultural identity following the 1974invasion of Cyprus by Turkey has led to the proliferation of community clubs and the creation of foundations andinfrastructure to facilitate the community’s regrouping and consolidation.Maronites currently operate the following foundations:• The Maronite Welfare Association of Cyprus,established in 1996 by initiative of the MaroniteRepresentative.• The “Saint Anthony” Old People’s Home, which houseselderly Maronites and Greek-Cypriots, was foundedand built in 2001 in Anthoupolis by initiative of theMaronite Representative, through government andcommunity subsidies.• The AMKKA (Ayia Marina, Kormakitis, Karpasha,Asomatos) Cooperative Savings Bank was establishedin 1998, also an initiative of the Maronite Representative.AMKKA acts as a connecting link with the Service forHumanitarian Affairs to facilitate financial transactionsfor the enclaved.• The Chorepiscopus John Foradaris Foundation (2000).Maronites have an active social presence, withnumerous culture, sport and youth clubs. The followingclubs are involved in sports and have football teams:• “Kormakitis” Club was established in 1992 and has aclubhouse in the heart of Nicosia, next to the VirginMary of Graces cathedral.• Kedros Ayias Marinas Skyllouras was established in1967 and has a clubhouse in Kochatis.• Asomatos Youth Association was established in 1951and is housed in a rented clubhouse in Ayios Pavlos,Nicosia.• Anthoupolis Maronites’ Association was establishedin 1987 and is housed in a rented clubhouse inAnthoupolis.24