Refugees from Syria have been working in Paphos for the last few days to restore a listed building in the city's Municipal Market. The voluntary work of the Syrian refugees was organized on the initiative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Municipality of Paphos. The refugees, who offered to work voluntarily, said they wanted to send the message that they could also contribute to their integration into society and to the improvement of the image of the city that hosts them. The upgrade and beautification of the Municipal Market, according to the mayor Faidonas Faidonos, will contribute to the further upgrading of the area by enhancing the traffic and stimulating the commercial traffic in the traditional center of Paphos. The construction works of the project, with a total cost of 500,000 euros plus VAT, are already at an advanced stage and are expected to be completed in January 2023. The project includes, among other things, the restoration of the facades in the public market area, as well as elements of urban equipment. which will help to strengthen its character. At the construction site of the Municipal Market, which is being completely renovated by the Municipality of Paphos, young refugees from Syria and heads of families related to related professions have started working since the beginning of the week and intend to participate in other similar initiatives.
Our second homeland
On behalf of the Syrian refugees, Anwar, who has lived in Paphos for two years, said they were working with local authorities to raise awareness of the plight of their compatriots, who have been forced to flee their cities and villages. to live somewhere peacefully and safely. Another Syrian, Kesket, who has lived in Paphos for the last 20 years, described it as his second home and as he said he feels the need to offer. Proud to be able to work voluntarily for the good of the city said another refugee who has lived in Paphos for the last 5 years. UNHCR Cyprus Information Officer Amalia Strovolidou described the initiative taken by the Syrian refugees as exceptional, especially, as she said, after the recent incidents in Paphos and Chloraka. These, he said, are people who have joined, they are a productive part of the local community. They work, pay their taxes, their children attend Cypriot schools, learn and speak Greek, have Cypriot friends. They consider Cyprus to be their home and they care about it. At the same time, they want to strengthen the prospects of integration for compatriots, who have also arrived in Cyprus seeking security from war and persecution, but may not have had the same opportunities to join or whose integration is much more difficult. For example, young Syrians, who when the war started 11 years ago, were still young children, who instead of going to school experienced all the tragic consequences of a civil war – violence, loss and doom. They do not know what democracy, the rule of law, laws, obligations, rules mean. According to Ms. Strovolidou, Syrian refugees who have lived for years in Cyprus and have rebuilt their lives here see the need to develop social orientation and civic education programs as necessary tools for the adaptation of these groups to the local community. . Indeed, such targeted programs are being implemented successfully in many countries. That is why the UNHCR supports the proposals and initiatives of the Syrian refugees.
