By Sofia Kannas
THE U.N. competition launched at the end of January for a new Cyprus flag and national anthem has received entries from countries as far a field as New Zealand and Japan, the UN said yesterday.
The competition, which officially opened on January 27, is aimed at the creation of a new flag and anthem representing a reunified Cyprus. A new anthem and flag will become a reality if a settlement is reached between Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides by February 28, the deadline set by the UN.
Brian Kelly, the spokesman for the United Nations Mission in Cyprus told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that there had been a good response to the competition.
“Entries are still coming in and we expect to announce the winners for the flag and anthem after the deadline on Monday.”
Kelly confirmed that entries had also been received from numerous countries outside Cyprus, including Japan, the United States and New Zealand.
“We have received applications from these countries. I’m not sure whether the applicants are from Cypriots living there or if they are from non-Cypriots.
There is nothing in the competition rules to preclude non-Cypriots from entering.
“After all, there are a lot of composers and designers in the world and its very likely the honour of composing a new national anthem or designing a new flag would attract non-Cypriots. It’s a matter of prestige, especially as there are provisions to make the competition winners names’ known via public announcement.”
The names of applicants will remain unknown to the judges until the winners are chosen.
“I think the rules and provisions used by the competition judges are currently being drafted, but it’s unlikely the names of entrants will be known to the judges beforehand.”
Entries for both competitions must be received no later than 5 pm on Monday.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
