“DEAR Cypriot people, I want to thank you for helping us. We really appreciate it. It’s been an honour to meet you all.”
Not an official press release but the warm words of Stephanie Atris, an eight-year-old American national who escaped from Lebanon to Cyprus with her family during the troubled Lebanon crisis last year.
Stephanie was in Cyprus yesterday with the rest of her family on the behest of the Interior Ministry to celebrate the first birthday of her little sister Diana, born in Nicosia, on October 23, 2006.
Stephanie was shipped to Cyprus with other American citizens in July 2006, when the country was subjected to daily bombardments by Israeli forces, destroying houses, buildings, road networks, oil installations and airports. She was joined by her six-year-old brother, Mohammed Josef, and parents, Nadine and Abbas Atris.
Although the children had US citizenship, the US Embassy refused to issue visas for the parents to go to the US with their children. Despite the fact they had been brought to the island by American officials, the family were left stranded with another 195 people who were refused US visas. After spending 10 days in the makeshift campground at the Cyprus State Fair, heavily-pregnant Nadine and her family were moved to a hotel by the Cypriot authorities.
Nadine, who was heavily pregnant, could not return to Lebanon by ship nor by air as no planes were flying into Lebanon at the time. When the Red Cross heard of their plight, they arranged to pay all expenses for the birth of Diana, while the Cyprus Civil Defence took responsibility for providing clothing, food, toys for the children and their return to Beirut on the first flight available, when Diana was just eight days old.
A year later and under much calmer circumstances, the Interior Ministry invited Stephanie and her family back to Cyprus to celebrate the first birthday of her little sister, Diana, who was born in Nicosia a year ago yesterday, when Lebanon was in flames.
Interior Minister Christos Patsalides yesterday arranged a party for the family of five, handing out presents to the three children and parents, while offering little Diana Cypriot citizenship. The birthday girl seemed unfazed by the offer, but was happy to receive a large pink doll and dollop of birthday cake.
“We are very touched to have you here. On your faces we see the friendship of Lebanon and Cyprus and we want to tell you that you are very welcome here,” said Patsalides.
The minister was keen to highlight the important role played by Cyprus last year in acting as a stopping point for 60,000 foreigners fleeing the Lebanon crisis.
“Cyprus proved last year that we can help our European partners to face humanitarian issues with sensitivity and to offer support in days of crisis. The Civil Defence took on a huge project and completed it successfully. We will always act this way because we want to strengthen good relations with our neighbours. Cyprus can always play this role and contribute to the wider EU project for peace in the region.
“We are very happy to think that we managed to offer [the family] something very simple. And we hope you will enjoy your visit more this time,” said Patsalides.
When the minister turned to Stephanie and asked her how happy she was to be here, the young diplomat-in-waiting replied: “A whole year happy.”
Oblivious to media circus, Diana danced to the music played especially for her birthday in the normally sedate Ministry conference room while Nadine spoke to reporters: “Nothing can describe my feelings now. Last year, we felt like it was our country here when no other country would help us. You did something we would never have dreamed about, thank you very much, God bless Cyprus.”
Returning was like a dream come true, she added. “We came with American refugees and they left us here. My children are American, but they didn’t care about them. I couldn’t believe it when I got the invite to return to Cyprus. I want to thank Leila from the Red Cross and the Civil Defence for helping us so much.”
On a more philosophical note, Lebanese Consul Charbel Macaron noted: “By celebrating little Diana’s birthday today, we show the wheel of life is stronger than an aggression.”
Civil Defence Commissioner Christos Kyriakides said last summer’s events would forever be imprinted in his memory.
“We took in 10 per cent of our population during that time. It was an unbelievable situation. It’s like France taking in seven million in one go. I still look at the photos with shock. We were lucky the schools were closed and we could use them to put up medical tents, play areas for the children, toilets, everything. We know what the tragedy of war can do,” said Kyriakides.
