The impact of the pandemic on the UK Cypriot community in terms of health, both physical and mental. This included the mortality and dealing with grief as well as dealing with wider issues of isolation. Questions arising from the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on mortality within the community were considered.
They explored the impact of Covid-19 on the health of the Cypriot community in the UK as a whole – over and above that felt by those based in London alone.
An exploration of available statistics is noteworthy as are a comparison of the experiences of those who were more isolated in terms of community support.
Moderator and host: Dr Petros Karatsareas, University of Westminster
His Excellency, the High Commissioner of Cyprus, Mr. Andreas S. Kakouris
Panel 1:
Dr Athina Mavrou: Cyprus Medical Society
Michael Yiakoumi: Author and journalist, Parikiaki
Dr Huseyin Cakal: Assistant Professor, Keele University
Lorna V: Journalist – Mental Health and Heritage Researcher
Dr Linda Papadopoulos: Practicing psychologist, author and broadcaster
Guest panellist: Dr George Kassianos CBE: UK National Immunisation Lead for the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)
This event is now available to view below:
You are all of course very welcome to join them at their second symposium focussing on the impact of Covid on culture will include panel of UK-Cypriot artists and cultural agents. It will take place on Thursday 10 June 12:30-13:30.
Lunchtime Symposia Series
Covid-19 and the Cypriots Diaspora in the UK:
Symposium 2 – Culture
12.30pm – 1.30pm 10th June 2021
Venue: On-line platform, University of Westminster
The Cyprus Centre at the University of Westminster is pleased to announce a series of on-line lunchtime
Admittance to our events is free of charge.
Dr Alicia Chrysostomou Email: a.chrysostomou@westminster.ac.uk
Programme
Introduction and Official Opening
Welcome Address:
Dr Marios Psaras, Cultural Counsellor, High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in the UK
Core panel:
Dr Marios Psaras: Cultural Counsellor, Cyprus High Commission. Award-winning filmmaker and film scholar, Marios has taught at Queen Mary, King’s College, and Greenwich, and lectured at various universities across Europe. He has published widely on film theory, including the monograph The Queer Greek Weird Wave (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). His short films have screened and won awards at film festivals worldwide. Marios is a member of the Hellenic Film Academy, artistic director of the Cyprus Short Film Day, and editor for Filmicon: Journal of Greek Film Studies. With an extensive experience in education, radio and TV production, theatre and cinema direction, as well as in film programming, art curation and cultural management and diplomacy, Marios will consider cultural production in Cyprus during Covid-19 and the response to the pandemic from the Cultural Centres in London including the High Commission.
Dr Ersin Hussein: Classics, Ancient History & Egyptology, Swansea University. Ersin is an ancient historian whose research primarily focuses on local identity formation in the Roman provinces. Her monograph Revaluing Roman Cyprus. Local identity on an island will be published with Oxford University Press later this year. Ersin’s experience through Covid-19 is multi-faceted. Professionally, her teaching responsibilities, research, and commitment to managing a new public outreach project at Swansea were dramatically affected. She also became a mother during 2020. Ersin will consider how cultural and family ties were impacted while navigating the current crises particularly when a new baby in involved. The norms in introducing a child to Cyprus and his culture needed realignment and this too will be considered.
Katerina Mina: Business Development & Marketing Director. Prizewinning British soprano, Katerina Mina, is delighted to have joined Buchler Phillips during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has resulted in the closure of opera houses across the world. Born in Cyprus, she has made her home in London, where she studied voice and piano at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, before winning prizes at a number of International singing competitions. Through her work for Buchler Phillips, the UK’s leading independent corporate recovery, turnaround and restructuring firm, Katerina has reconnected with her previous position under the leadership of British educator and inspirational speaker, Lady Marie Stubbs, in the role of reforming St George’s Catholic School in Maida Vale, following the death of headmaster Philip Lawrence. As a result of the outstanding work of Marie and her team, including Katerina, the school, which faced permanent closure, was turned around within a year. Katerina leads business development and marketing at Buchler Phillips, is responsible for coordinating all meetings and organising all events of the firm.
Katerina is an Ambassador of the UK Friends of Israel Opera and holds the Russian Federation’s medal for peace and friendship.
Antony Petrou: Cypriot Filmmaker. Antony is an award winning Cypriot filmmaker based in London. He is a graduate of the Art School Central St Martins, where he achieved a first class degree. Antony directed and produced the critically acclaimed ‘We Are Monster’ which was released to theatres in the UK and US prior to being acquired by Netflix. Antony’s recent short films have been official selections in over 60-film festivals worldwide including, Oscar Nominated and European Film Academy qualifying festivals, with ten wins to date. Antony is currently in development on his next feature project.
Dr Achilleas Hadjikyriacou: Senior Manager, The Hellenic Institute, Director, Centre for
Greek Diaspora Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London. Achilleas received his
doctorate in History and Civilization from the European University Institute in Florence,
Italy. His PhD thesis examined the representations of masculinity and gender relations in
the Greek cinema of the 1950s and 1960s. Achilleas now combines experience in
education, academia, project management, public administration and diplomacy (he is the
immediate past Cultural Council at the Cyprus High Commission) in his present postings.
Achilleas will explore how Covid-19 influenced our contemporary “less-serious” cultural
production often found in social media platforms. He will look at the anecdotal nature of
collective self-sarcasm vis a vis issues of nostalgia vis a vis “healthy distance” or “time-off” our homelands that the Covid-19 pandemic has created.
Open General Discussion:
As the short presentations from the expert panel progress, participants will be invited to submit questions/comments. Following these introductory discussion points, the moderator will air relevant thoughts arising. Further discussion in keeping with the symposium theme will take place from this point. This will involve all panel members and those participants wishing to engage in the discussions.
