News

LONDON GREEK RADIO PRESENTS… THE LGR BOUAT

LGR Event

For the first time in London, on Friday 3^rd March, London Greek Radio are hosting a spectacular evening.

Enjoy a traditional Bouat styled evening in a chilled and relaxed atmosphere.

Entertaining us on the night are the talented; Aggeliki Darra, Katerina Neocleous, Tony Panayi, Ploutarchos Manolessos & Nikos Ntintas.

Join us in the bar of the Cypriot Community Centre, Earlham Grove, Wood Green. Let’s have a drink and listen to the live music and have an amazing evening. You can even sing a long too and really let your hair down.

There will be drinks and nibbles available at the bar.

This will be an unforgettable night with our dearest London Greek Radio audience.

Doors will open at 7:30pm.

For more information and tickets please call LGR on 0208 349 6950

We look forward to seeing you all there.

This event is sponsored by: C. Michael & Co Accountants, Delphi Food Products, Nikos Transport, Anastasia Lodge & Autumn Gardens.

Article written by London Greek Radio

CYPRUS AND GREECE LAND TOUGH DRAW FOR SEMI-FINAL HEAT IN THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

The Eurovision Semi-Final Allocation Draw carried out on 31^st January, at the Column Hall of Kyiv City State Administration, in Ukraine, officially launched the start to Eurovision season.

The Cypriot and Greek entry performers have been drawn to sing in the First Semi-Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, airing on Tuesday 9^th May live on BBC4 at 8 p.m. GMT.

We last visited Kyiv in 2005, that proved absolutely one of the best Eurovision song contests ever, with Elena Paparizou’s song ‘My Number One’ which won the Eurovision, bringing the only Greek victory in the competition.

The Semi-Finals will span Tuesday 9^th May to Thursday 11^th May concluding with the second semi-final, on that occasion. The Eurovision Final will go out live on Saturday 13^th May at 8 p.m. GMT to be held at the Kyiv International Exhibition Centre (IEC).

Cyprus and Greece is amongst 18 countries, conclude the first semi-final. How it works really… The Top 10 qualifiers who pass the round in each allocated semi, with 50:50 Tele-voting, and professional jury points. The semi-heats producing our lucky 20 qualifiers on both Tuesday and Thursday will be entered in the live final.

The 37 Semi-Finalists have been allocated into six pots, based on historical voting patterns as calculated by the contest’s official tele-voting partner Digame. Drawing from different pots helps to reduce the chance of so-called neighbourly voting and increases suspense in the Semi-Finals.

The UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and host’s Ukraine thanks to Jamala’s winning song last year are direct finalists. The Big 5 has that upgraded status, as Eurovision’s biggest financial contributory members to the European Broadcasting Union, organisers of the Eurovision.

Hovig Demirdjian (left), Demy aka Demetra Papadea (right)… compete in Eurovision Semi-Final 1…

Hovig aka Hovig Demirdjian will represent Cyprus in Kyiv, internally selected by the CyBc broadcaster. He is a Cypriot pop singer with over 10 year’s music career; he went all the way to the live shows of Greek X-Factor in 2009, and has never given up on his quest to represent the Cypriot flag at the song contest. He will sing our Cypriot tune called ‘Gravity‘, composed by Swedish producer Thomas G:Son. His song has a Eurovision feel and potentially radio-friendly hit song, suggests the song-writer.

The official video is due to be released in March and we can’t wait to get our hand on it to share it with our listeners on LGR and through lgr.co.uk.

Demy aka Demetra Papadea will be the Greek representative, with her tune due to be separately selected by the tele-voting public, on Monday 6th March 2017. She has three songs exclusively written for her by the Eurovision legend Dimitris Kontopoulos with creative staging director Fokas Evangelinos, our dynamic team. So what happened, Dimitris and Fokas appointed Demy, suggesting she was the best choice to the powers that be that’s how we have Demy, to fly the Greek flag to make a strong come-back to Eurovision this year…

She is signed to the Panik Records family, with a substantial volume of pop hits.

This year’s Greek trio is dubbed the ‘dream team’ surely working very hard to come up with a competitive song. Dimitris and Fokas, have a long illustrious run in the song contest with many Top 10s including Sakis Rouvas, to Sergey Lazarev, Russian entrant in 2016’s Eurovision Song Contest, finished Top 3 on finale night.

The viewers in the United Kingdom are able to vote for their favourites in the first semi-final, airing on BBC 4, so too, Italy and Spain. Meanwhile, Germany, Ukraine and France are voting in the second semi-final of Eurovision on the Thursday evening.

This year’s ‘Celebrating Diversity’ theme will define Kyiv Eurovision welcoming 43 countries, to the annual music event. Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Jon Ola Sand said: ”The notion of celebrating diversity builds on last year’s theme of ‘Come Together’ and is at the heart of Eurovision values: it is all-inclusive and all about countries around Europe, and beyond, joining together to celebrate both our common ground and our unique differences, as well as the love of great music”.

The running order will be determined by the producers of the show and approved by EBU’s Reference Group in mid-March.

Article written by Tony Neophytou

MICROTONE PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS… GIORGOS MAZONAKIS LIVE IN LONDON

George Mazonakis, one of the biggest stars in Greece, is coming to London for the first time for a special show on February 28th.

The multi-platinum singer has experienced profound success throughout more than 20 years of his discography and live performances. He put himself in a continuously changing and evolving process concerning his personal style and his repertoire choices. He has always been known for his crystal clear opinion about his aesthetic directions, his sheer professionalism and the simplicity of his beliefs. It seems that is all about a singer which is hard to compromise in the stereotypical categories that already exist in the Greek music industry.

George’s temperament, unique interpretation and innovative views have changed the way of nightlife, with very successful appearances at famous nightclubs in Athens.

London-based Microtone Productions is happy to welcome George and his 10-piece band to London, for the first time in his career, for a special show at KOKO on February 28th. Tickets are available via the Ticket Web website, click here to purchase yours. Advance online tickets are £35 or you can purchase yours on the door for £40 per person.

Article written by London Greek Radio

PRESIDENT ANASTASIADES: RELATIVE PROGRESS ON THE CHAPTER OF GOVERNANCE ACHIEVED DURING MEETING WITH MUSTAFA AKINCI

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci continued on Thursday their talks aiming to reach convergences on the issues which are still pending at the negotiations on the Cyprus problem by discussing the chapter of governance.

President Nicos Anastasiades (Left) – Turkish leader Mustafa Akinci (R)

In statements upon his arrival at the Presidential Palace Anastasiades said that relative progress has been achieved adding at the same time that quite a lot of work remains to be done. Furthermore he said that the various chapters will be discussed interdependently.

Asked if the date for the convening of the next session of the Conference on Cyprus has been agreed, Anastasiades said that it will probably take place after the 13th of March.

In his statements, Anastasiades said that the negotiators of the two sides have written down “the convergences, the slightest divergences and the big divergences” and that on the basis of this preparation the two leaders began their discussion to see how more differences are transformed into convergences. He added that today they discussed the chapter of Governance.

He said that relative progress was achieved but quite a lot of work remains to be done. Furthermore he noted that discussion on the various chapters will take place interdependently “to achieve, on the basis of everything that has been also agreed in the past, the biggest possible convergences before the Conference on Cyprus”

Asked if the UNSG`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide informed them on his recent meetings with the guarantor powers, Anastasiades said that they have a picture about what happened in those meetings.

He added that “the general picture is that the intention of the involved parties is to reach a solution as soon as possible,” adding that this will become apparent at the negotiating table so that “we do not rest on the various assurances.”

Responding to another question, Anastasiades said that they did not discuss today about the issue of the four fundamental freedoms.

The Conference on Cyprus convened, on January 12, in Geneva, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with the participation of Anastasiades and Akinci, the Foreign Ministers of Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom as guarantor powers, and in the presence of the European Union as an observer, to address the issue of security and guarantees, a crucial chapter in discussions for a Cyprus settlement.

The Conference decided to establish a working group at the level of deputies to identify specific questions and the instruments needed to address them, and that the Conference will continue at political level immediately thereafter to review the outcome of the working group’s discussions.

In parallel, according to the decision, the negotiations on outstanding issues in the other chapters will continue between the two sides in Cyprus.

The working group of deputies met in Mont-Pelerin, Switzerland, on January 18-19, and according to Eide “successfully completed the mandate entrusted to it by the Conference.”

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-led negotiations since May 2015, with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.

Article written by CNA

PRESIDENT ANASTASIADES: WE HAD A CREATIVE MEETING WITH AKINCI AND DISCUSSED THE WAY FORWARD

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades described Wednesday’s meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci as “creative”, as they continue their talks in the framework of UN-led negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem.

President Anastasiades (L) – Mustafa Mustafa Akinci (R)

He also said they discussed the way forward for the negotiations.

In statements on his return at the Presidential Palace from the meeting, Anastasiades referred to the statement which the UN issued about the meeting, which announced their decision to meet again on February 9 and request the UN to prepare the continuation of the Conference on Cyprus in early March.

Asked if they discussed Turkey’s demand that Turkish citizens should enjoy the four fundamental freedoms of the EU after a solution in Cyprus, he said they did not, adding that they also talked about the methodology to be followed from now on.

Responding to a question about statements made recently by Turkish officials, Anastasiades said that he raised this issue during his meeting with Akinci on Wednesday as he did during his meeting with the UNSG`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide on Tuesday, noting that if fewer statements are made, this “will contribute to the positive climate that we want to prevail” in the dialogue between the communities in Cyprus.

Therefore, the President noted, any statements either overoptimistic or otherwise do not contribute to what the leaders of the two communities are pursuing.

Asked if he is worried by the tension between Greece and Turkey, Anastasiades said that this is a negative development. At the same time he expressed hope that problems will be overcome.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May 2015 with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.

Article written by CNA

LAOGRAFIKOS

1^ος Παγκύπριος μαθητικός διαγωνισμός Λαογραφίας, οργανώνεται από το Πανεπιστήμιο Νεάπολις Πάφου. Δικαίωμα συμμετοχής έχουν και όλοι οι μαθητές και μαθήτριες των παροικιακών σχολείων του Λονδίνου.

Τα θέματα του διαγωνισμού αφορούν στις πιο κάτω θεματικές ενότητες:

α) Ποίηση (με λαογραφικό περιεχόμενο)

β) Παραδοσιακό τραγούδι

γ) Παράδοση – λαϊκός πολιτισμός – λαϊκοί τεχνίτες

Για οποιεσδήποτε άλλες πληροφορίες για κάθε επιμέρους ενότητα καθώς και κανονισμούς, μπορείτε να απευθύνεστε στα τηλέφωνα/ Ε-mail:

α) κύριος Ξενοφών Παναγή (Φιλόλογος, Β.Δ) 99478392/ tosoda@cytanet.com.cy (για Α΄ Ενότητα: Ποίηση)

β) Δρ. Στάλω Γεωργίου (Καθηγήτρια Μουσικής- Μουσικοσυνθέτης, Πανεπιστήμιο Νεάπολις 26-843347/ stalo.georgiou@nup.ac.cy (για Β΄Ενότητα: Παραδοσιακό Τραγούδι)

γ) κύριος Σταύρος Χριστοδούλου (Ιστορικός- Ερευνητής, Πανεπιστήμιο Νεάπολις) 26-843331/ stavros.christodoulou@nup.ac.cy (για Γ΄ Ενότητα: Παράδοση- Λαϊκός Πολιτισμός- Λαϊκοί Τεχνίτες)

Θα δοθούν βραβεία στα έργα που θα κριθούν τα καλύτερα από ειδική κριτική επιτροπή.

Τελευταία ημερομηνία υποβολής έργων είναι η 28^η Φεβρουαρίου 2017.

Article written by

A PETITION FOR GEORGE MICHAEL STATURE OUTSIDE HIS HIGHGATE HOME

The sad news of George Michael, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou’s passing has shocked fans around the world. Many of these people have visited his home in Highgate North London, to make their tributes, to lay-down flowers, cards, candles and personal messages. You will see a Greek and a Cypriot flag put on the fence’s gate to make the point visibly he was one of their own.

With fans silently reflecting and contemplating his career, his musical achievements and even his kindness and generosity for charity, in his 53 years on this planet.

This included the singer pledging his signed-discs for London Greek Radio‘s Radiomarathon appeal.

Over 3,000 signatures for George Michael petition….

A petition which has been circulating on Facebook has been launched by Mr John Vasiliou on change.org under the heading, ‘We the fans want a George Michael’s statue outside his Highgate Home.’

Mr Vasiliou who is a driving instructor and owns a hair salon with his wife, in Muswell Hill, he saw the last ever Wham! Concert, makes a super fan in our book. He would like nothing more than to have a permanent installation as a way of honouring the man and his work, every time to see it, at The Grove, in Highgate, George Michael’s house.

Mr Vasiliou stating: ‘A statue of George Michael to be erected outside the home of George Michael in Highgate in honour of the music & songs he wrote for all his fans and for being an anonymous philanthropist to his community and various charities.’

3,572 plus people have placed their signature on this petition in the weeks since the singer’s death on the 25th December 2016, Christmas day.

The petition will be handed to the Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party Teresa May MP at 10 Downing Street, London, January 2017.

Article written by London Greek Radio

STELLA STAVROU – APPEAL FOR MISSING PERSON

Stella Stavrou is missing…

Stella Stavrou is 75 years old. 4’11 approx. Small frame. Scars on her face from diabetes, she was wearing a black & white knee length coat, black leggings, mulberry coloured round scooped neck long sleeve top, black beanie hat and black quilted hand bag with long gold chain handles, black shoes.

She was last seen on Sunday, 15th January approx 2pm and told her family she was going to the Whittington hospital to visit their father. She did not arrive at the ward and she has not returned home since.

She suffers from dementia and diabetes and has not had her medication since leaving the house yesterday, so she may appear very confused and disorientated.

Stella is Greek-Cypriot speaking only, with patchy levels of spoken English.

The areas she may have gone to are Finsbury Park, Holloway, Archway, Haringey and Clissold Park. She would have walked and/or taken the bus on these routes.

Any information please contact the police on 101.

UPDATED 16.01.2017

Good news, Stella Stavrou aged 75 from Islington has been found safe and well.

Thanks for your help with this appeal.

Source: Islington MPS

Article written by London Greek Radio

PRESIDENT ANASTASIADES : CONFERENCE ON CYPRUS CREATES CONDITIONS FOR CHANGE OF SECURITIES AND GUARANTEES

The outcome of the Conference on Cyprus which focused on security and guarantees, which started on Thursday in Geneva, creates the preconditions for a radical change of the security conditions that were in place in 1960, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades, has stressed.

President Anastasiades: We are on a track that creates hope

The outcome of the Conference on Cyprus which focused on security and guarantees, which started on Thursday in Geneva, creates the preconditions for a radical change of the security conditions that were in place in 1960, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades, has stressed.

In statements at a press conference in Geneva, President Anastasiades said that the fact that the UN press release, issued after the Conference on Cyprus, clearly describes the intention of the participants (at the Conference) to reach a mutually acceptable solution – as regards the aspect of security and guarantees – that will meet the expectations of both Cypriot communities, but particularly the fact that it is acknowledged that the security of one community cannot constitute a threat for the other community, “create the prospects and the terms of reference for the team of experts to work out new ways that would be acceptable and for radical change of what was in force based on the 1960 guarantees`.

President Anastasiades further said that for the first time a multi-party Conference on Cyprus was convened, in the presence of the EU, on the highest possible level, during which Turkey was for the first time engaged in a dialogue with the Republic of Cyprus, to discuss the abolition of the guarantees and the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops from Cyprus.

The presence of Turkish troops in the Republic of Cyprus does not secure conditions of peace, but conditions of instability, the Cypriot President stressed.

Furthermore, he said that what is important is that `we are at the negotiating table with Turkey and the other guarantor powers not to confirm the 1960 Treaties but to find a solution that would meet the concerns of all the people of Cyprus. And the concerns of the Greek Cypriot side are the presence of the occupation army, the Turkish guarantees. That is why the subject of the Conference was the discussion of the security and guarantees issue”.

The President added that the decision to continue the Conference on Cyprus shows that the issue of security and guarantees and the implementation of the solution, constitute the beginning of a substantive dialogue for the achievement of a solution, so that its outcome meets the expectations of the Cypriot people.

He stressed that the only comprehensive proposal which is before the Conference is the proposal submitted by the Greek Cypriot side which served as food for thought for all participants.

On Thursday, he said, `a dialogue began to change everything we knew until today` and added that his proposal includes matters relating to the internal or external security, as projected by the Turkish side, or ensuring a smooth and consistent implementation of what will be agreed or even ensuring constitutional order after the solution.

President Anastasiades noted that for the first time since 1974 the Turkish Cypriot side submitted a map on the territorial adjustments through which there is a significant percentage of Turkish occupied land returned under Greek Cypriot administration.

He stressed that although the map submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side does not meet the Greek Cypriot side`s expectations, nevertheless, bearing in mind the Greek Cypriot side`s proposal on territorial adjustments, it constitutes the basis for negotiation. He also said that the maps that have been published by some media are not the ones that are kept by the UN.

Invited to say when he believes that a final agreement will be found, he pointed out that never before have we had a discussion on the territory in the form it is discussed today and the submission of maps on behalf of the Turkish side, never before have we had Turkey sitting on the same table with the Republic of Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot side, the Turkish Cypriot side and the EU to discuss abolition, amendment, or withdrawal of its occupation troops.

`So, we are on a track that creates hope but this depends on the positions of each side`, he pointed out.

Replying to journalists` questions, the President said that there is no final date as regards the work that the working group of deputies on security and guarantees that will commence on 18 January to identify specific questions and the instruments needed to address them.

“This is the beginning of the dialogue”, he said, adding that the committee that has been established to examine the concerns and probably some suggested solutions, could lead to a conference on political level, on the highest maybe level, to discuss the decision. If there is no conclusion on that day, he said, then the dialogue will continue to achieve a convergence.

Moreover, he stressed that there is no difference of approach between Nicosia and Athens and warmly thanked the Greek government and the Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias for their excellent cooperation and support. He also thanked the UNSG, the EU Commission President and the EU High Representative, the political party leaders, his negotiating team and the Media for the coverage.

The reason why the Conference on Cyprus did not continue on Friday as well, is due to the fact that the Turkish Foreign Minister had to leave earlier for Turkey for internal issues, the Cypriot President said.

Asked if there is hope for a solution in Cyprus, he said that if Turkey did not want to cooperate, it would not have been present at the negotiating table. Hope is one thing and final outcome is an other thing, he said.

Replying to an other question, he said that if Greece and Turkey insisted on their positions there would not be any reason to establish a committee that will examine all aspects o the security issues, nor would there be a decision on behalf of the parties to discuss in order to reach mutually acceptable solutions, meaning that the Republic of Cyprus or the concerns of the Greek Cypriot community can not be ignored.

Referring to the EU role, he said that the EU will surely have a word so that the agreement reached will be compatible with the European acquis and the security policies of the Union.

During the Conference on Cyprus, he said, it was underlined that Cyprus is an EU member state and will always have this capacity thus the EU has a role to play. Asked if the EU can offer security, he said `of course it can` if and when there is such an agreement.

The Treaty on Guarantees, he noted, is a four – party treaty, but in essence a two-party treaty, between the Republic of Cyprus and the three guarantor powers (Greece, UK and Turkey).

President Anastasiades noted that the discussion on the internal aspects of the Cyprus issue and the aspect of security and guarantees give a momentum to the process. There are issues, he said, that will depend on the results of the discussion on security and guarantees, as well as on the progress on the territory chapter.

He defended his decision on the 1st of December 2016 for the Geneva talks to resume in January (9-11 of January on internal aspects of the Cyprus issue and 12 of January for the Conference on Cyprus to take place).

President Anastasiades said that his decision aimed at two goals, firstly to avoid a protracted stalemate and to finally determine the intentions of Turkish Cypriot side and especially Ankara`s intentions, regarding the chapters on territory and security and guarantees.

The outcome of the Geneva Conference reaffirmed that his decision on the 1st of December was the right one, he said, adding that through the dialogue in Geneva there has been further progress on the first four chapters of the Cyprus talks. But he pointed out that this progress does not entirely meet the expectations of the Greek Cypriot side.