Newsroom
The funeral of Pieris Pieri, a respected mathematician and deputy principal of the First Gymnasium of Famagusta, became a powerful moment of bicommunal unity. It served as a reminder of the unbreakable ties that bind the people of Cyprus despite decades of division.
A man known for his integrity, wisdom, and devotion to education, Pieris Pieri left behind not just a legacy of academic excellence but also a lifetime of unshaken values. Though he lived through turbulent times, he always held firm in his principles, treating all with respect regardless of background.
In a series of moving Facebook posts, his grandson shared stories of his life, his deep connection to his homeland, and the heartbreaking reality of displacement. One moment stood out: at his grandfather’s funeral, the Turkish Cypriot "mayor" of Famagusta, Dr. Suleyman Ulucay, arrived at the cemetery bearing sand from Varosha—the very soil of Pieri’s birthplace. In this act of reverence and humanity, a silent but powerful message was sent: the people of Cyprus are connected beyond politics, beyond checkpoints, beyond the barbed wire that has divided them for half a century.
For many, this moment symbolized hope. It stood in contrast to the voices of division, the ones who resist reconciliation efforts like the Imagine program—an initiative that promotes peace and understanding among Greek and Turkish Cypriot students. Nationalists on both sides argue against such programs, clinging to old wounds. Moments like this funeral remind us that history is written not just by conflicts, but also by those who choose to reach out, to heal, to remember without hatred.
As Pieris Pieri was laid to rest, his final journey mirrored the longing of so many Cypriots—both Greek and Turkish—to return home. To a Cyprus where stories of Achna, Trikomo, Famagusta, and Kyrenia are not just memories of the past but realities of a shared future.
