London Greek Radio

Ευχαρίστησε το LGR και όλους τους ανθρώπους του για την ζέστη και χαμογελαστή υποδοχή και ζήτησε την στήριξη μας για την μεγάλη βραδιά.

Η Μαρία-Έλενα Κυριάκου και ο Ευθύβουλος Θεοχάρους βρέθηκαν στο Ελληνικό Ραδιόφωνο του Λονδίνου στα πλαίσια προώθησης της ελληνικής συμμετοχής ‘One Last Breath‘.

Η Μαρία Έλενα, γεννήθηκε και μεγάλωσε στην Λάρνακα. Δασκαλα στο επαγγελμα ειχε πάντοτε αγάπη για την μουσική και το τραγούδι.

Δήλωσε συμμετοχή στο ελληνικό ‘The Voice’ απο προτροπή του αδερφού της και τελικά κατάφερε να βγει νικήτρια.

Πλέον μένει μόνιμα στην Αθηνα και έχει την τιμή να τραγουδήσει με τα ελληνικά χρώματα στην 60η Eurovision, στη Βιέννη.

Για την σκηνή της Βιεννης δήλωσε: δεν μπορώ να αποκαλύψω τι ετοιμάζουμε, αυτο πάντως που ειναι σίγουρο ειναι ότι θα ειναι πολύ κοντά στο video clip, αλλα με πολύ αίσθηση στον στίχο και στη συγκίνηση που βγάζει το τραγούδι και η ερμηνεία. Με αυτο τον τροπο θα μπορέσουμε να το μεταδώσουμε κατάλληλα στους τηλεθεατές.

Μαρία Έλενα Κυριακου στα στούντιο του LGR…

Ευχαρίστησε το LGR και όλους τους ανθρώπους του για την ζέστη και χαμογελαστή υποδοχή και ζήτησε την στήριξη μας για την μεγάλη βραδιά.

Μαζί με την ερμηνεύτρια και τον συνθέτη βρεθηκε και η Μόνικα Παπαδάτου, που κάθε χρόνο και για λογαριασμό της Νεριτ και φέτος και για την Minos Emi αναλαμβάνει μέρος του προγραμματισμού της ελληνικής αποστολής.

Η Ελλάδα διαγωνίζεται στον πρώτο ημιτελικό Τρίτη 19 Μαΐου.

Αν όλα πάνε καλα όπως ευχόμαστε, θα έχουμε την ευκαιρία να δούμε Ελλάδα στους δεκτές μας, το Σάββατο 23 Μαΐου στον μεγάλο τελικό της Ευρώπης.

Τοτε λοιπόν θα έχουμε την ευκαιρία να ψηφίσουμε και να στηρίξουμε την ελληνική συμμετοχή στο tele-voting.

Ας στείλουμε απο τωρα, καλή επιτυχία στα παιδιά!

Georgios-Ioannis Tsianos, competing in the Marathon des Sables

Dr Georgios-Ioannis Tsianos has become the first person to complete three of the World’s toughest physical challenges whilst simultaneously raising awareness for the Operation Wallacea Trust.

UK based doctor Georgios-Ioannis Tsianos, from Greece, has become the first person in history to complete the world’s highest climb on Everest, swim the rough waters of the English Channel, and successfully run the Marathon des Sables. Generally considered to be the toughest footrace on Earth, the Marathon des Sables covers 250km in six days across the Sahara Desert of Morocco, and Georgios completed the race and made history.

The race was the culmination of years of intense training for Georgios, who has run up to 100 kilometres per week in preparation for the event, whilst even turning his spare bedroom into a Saharan furnace by installing heaters to help his body prepare for the 50°C temperature he would need to endure in order to compete in the race.

Talking about his achievement, Georgios-Ioannis Tsianos commented: “What a privilege it is to be the first person in history to have achieved the Ice Water Fire challenge; the personal stories and experiences along the way, are simply invaluable. The Marathon des Sables turned out to be a rollercoaster of an event during which I had to get through adversity to get to the finish, and by doing so I proudly carried with me the Opwall Trust’s environmental message”.

Georgios-Ioannis Tsianos

Georgios ran the Marathon des Sables in support of the Opwall Trust, a UK-based charity working with local communities in developing countries to provide commercially viable enterprises linked to the conservation of biodiversity. Environmental degradation and natural resource overexploitation, particularly in the tropics, are widespread. However, the underlying stimulus is seldom greed, but instead is due to desperation and a lack of alternatives amongst communities already living below the poverty line. The Opwall Trust designs and implements the alternative income streams they so desperately need to protect local wildlife for the long term.

Speaking about the trust, the founder, Tim Coles OBE says: “If you live in a poor rural community in a developing country then wildlife conservation is often not top of your agenda compared to the daily struggle to feed and educate your kids! What the Opwall Trust does is to design and invest in small local businesses that are linked to the whole community agreeing not to deforest or hunt in the adjacent forests so there is a direct link between wildlife conservation and raising living standards.”

For more information about the Ice Fire Water callange, visit www.icewaterfire.com

President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades (pictured) has announced Confidence Building Measures in an effort to strengthen the negotiating process due to resume next month.

In a written statement on Tuesday, issued only two days after the election of Mustafa Akinci to the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community, President Anastasiades said he hoped the measures will create a climate of trust and hope among the entire people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

The measures include information and maps with regard to anti-personnel minefields in the northern Turkish occupied areas and transferring to EVKAF (religious foundation) the management of the Muslim places of worship that are in the southern government controlled areas and belong to Turkish Cypriots.

In his statement, Anastasiades announced the measures “on the occasion of the resumption of the talks and my strong conviction for the need to create a climate of trust that will be working toward strengthening the negotiating procedure”.

During the “first joint meeting with Mr. Akinci, I intend to hand over maps and information with regard to 28 anti-personnel minefields in the Pendadaktylos area”, the President said.

He also announced the “transfer of the management to Evkaf of the Muslim places of worship that are in the free areas, and which belong to the Turkish Cypriot community and are not under the protection for foreign embassies”.

Anastasiades further said a “decision has been made to hire Turkish speaking officers at the Citizen Service Centers in Nicosia so that the service to our Turkish Cypriot compatriots is made easier”.

He welcomed “the effort that is under way to unify football in Cyprus and I hope that it is concluded successfully at the earliest possible”.

Anastasiades said that it “is well-known that for the purpose stated above I had suggested a mutually beneficial set of Confidence Building Measures, and it is with special satisfaction that I ascertain the willingness of the new leader of the Turkish Cypriots, Mr. Akinci, to engage in a dialogue for the adoption of the Measures that will secure a climate of trust and hope among the entire people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots”.

In a landslide victory on Sunday, Akinci garnered over 60% of the vote and his opponent Dervis Eroglu 39%.

UN-led peace talks are expected to resume in May, with the top UN Cyprus envoy arriving on the island next week to prepare the ground for the resumption of the talks.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades (pictured) will be meeting the new Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on Saturday at noon, following a telephone conversation the two had on Tuesday morning. The venue is yet to be announced.

Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides told the press today that the telephone conversation took place at the initiative of President Anastasiades and explained this will be a social meeting, however the Cyprus problem and the resumption of the peace talks will be on the agenda.

Replying to a question on the issue of the Turkish occupied city of Famagusta, the Spokesman said that the only proposal on the table, for which the international community is already aware of, is the proposal submitted by President Anastasiades which refers to the fenced off area of Famagusta (Varosha).

Invited to comment on statements by Akinci n the issue, the Spokesman said the Greek Cypriot side is aware of his public statements only. “When we are specifically briefed, then we will be able to comment,” he added.

Replying to another question on the illegal airport in occupied Tymbou, the Spokesman said that when Confidence Building Measures were discussed between President Anastasiades and former Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, no such thing was included in the document submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side.

He noted that the issue of the operation of the illegal airport is often included in public statements and that the Greek Cypriot side has no official information to this end.

Christodoulides also said that President Anastasiades will be presiding over a meeting of the National Council soon.

To another question about an exchange of words in public between Akinci and Turkish President Tayip Erdogan, the Spokesman said that Cyprus government monitors closely developments related to this incident.

“We watch an attempt by Akinci to break free from Turkey`s dependence. We are sure that the UN and the foreign governments who are interested in the Cyprus problem closely follow these developments. We will also keep following developments and will comment accordingly“, the Spokesman said.

Akinci was elected new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community during a run-off election last Sunday.

Referring to UNSG Special Envoy`s visit to Cyprus, Christodoulides said that Espen Barth Eide will be arriving on the island next Monday.

Commenting on a statement attributed to UNSG Spokesman on “two governments“ on the island, Christodoulides said that Cyprus has made representations to the UN, pointing out however that “we should not doubt the obvious, that Cyprus Republic is the only recognised government on the island.”

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. A new round of UN-backed talks to reunite the island under a federal roof is set to commence in the next weeks.

LGR is inviting you to vote for your favourite Cyprus Eurovision track of all time in the poll here. The nation makes a strong come-back to this May’s event in Vienna and it’s timely to ask you what you think…

Cyprus made their debut entry in 1981 with Island song ‘Monika’ with 32 official entrants this far… The Cypriot’s best rating was Top 5th by Anna Vissi, Hara and Andros Constantinou and Lisa Andreas producing the highest finish. 

The most familiar  Cypriot singers Anna Vissi, Ivi Adamou, Constantinos Christoforou, Evridiki, Michalis Hatzigiannis, Despina Olympiou and  Alexia have all sung for the island in the music competition held yearly.     

John Karayiannis the 20 year-old born in Limassol will be flying the Cypriot flag, with ‘One Thing I Should Have Done’. The sweet melody track is written by Mike Connaris, a London Cypriot song-writer at Mcasso Studios in Great Marlborough Street, previously wrote 2004’s Top 5th entry ‘Stronger Every Minute’ which equal’s our best ever…

Cyprus competes in Eurovision Semi-Final 2 airing on Thursday 21st May at 8pm, and if you are UK based your tele-votes will be adding to jurors for the 10 qualifiers that night.

Meanwhile, Eurovision’s grand final will take place on Saturday 23rd May at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna.

[poll id=”5″]

The forthcoming UK General Election on 7th May 2015 represents a unique opportunity for UK Cypriots to exercise their democratic right and to vote for the party and parliamentary candidate of their choice. We urge all Cypriots in the United Kingdom eligible to vote in the General Election to do so. British Cypriots should first ensure that they are registered to vote: you have until the 20th April to register, if you are not already on the electoral register*.

Importantly for UK Cypriots, this election comes at a sensitive time for Cyprus with negotiations to rid the island of Turkey’s military occupation and to reunite the country due to recommence. The UK is a Guarantor Power of the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and has important responsibilities by virtue of that role, as well as through its permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council and as a leading member of the European Union and the Commonwealth, not to mention the responsibility of all states to uphold international law and human rights.

The General Election is an opportunity for British Cypriots to raise the Cyprus problem’s profile on the political agenda of this country. For this brief period in the electoral cycle, all political parties will be seeking our views. The remaining days before polling are our chance to highlight the Cyprus problem repeatedly to those people who seek to represent us over the coming years and to seek to make it a priority on the foreign policy agenda of the new UK government. This is even more important at a time when so many new MPs are likely to be elected.

We have a responsibility as a community to make candidates from all parties aware of the plight of Cyprus and Britain’s historic responsibilities to the island and its people.

This election is also an opportunity for UK Cypriots to support Members of Parliament from all parties who are seeking re-election and who have a proven track record of working with us and supporting and promoting the cause of a reunited Cyprus in Parliament. We urge British Cypriots to vote for such candidates on 7th May 2015.

In conclusion, we call upon all British Cypriots to use the remaining critical period before polling day to inform, discuss with and lobby the people who seek our votes.

* Register to vote by going to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Relieving the biggest moments in Greek Eurovision history, all 36 entries flying the flag…

The London Greek Radio Poll is inviting you to vote for your all time favourite Greek Eurovision track or (tracks)… here…

Its 10 year’s since the advent of Greece first winning song with Elena Paparizou ‘My Number One’ and this is massively historic in context of the 60 years of Eurovision Song Contest in 2015.

The debut song with Marinella ‘Krasi, Thalassa Kai T’Agori’, way back in 1974, initiating all 36 entries to this point. 

LGR Poll… you can vote for fun…  

[poll id=”4″]

Cypriot Maria Elena Kyriakou with ‘One Last Breath’ will fly the Greek flag in Eurovision in Austria…

Maria Elena Kyriakou with soaring ballad ‘One Last Breath’ will go on to fly the Greek flag at the massively historic 60th Eurovision Song Contest this May. After topping the public and jury voting of the EuroSong Final airing 4th March, our female soloist’s melodic track will go on to represent Hellas, our tune, is obviously more of a slow speed feel than the bulk of their efforts recently. Tony Neophytou reviews the highlights leading up to selecting our 36th Greek song representative to date…

It’s 10 year’s since the advent of the winning ‘My Number One’ of Elena Paparizou with almost consistently unbroken Top 10’s, and it goes almost without saying the Greek nation has strong back-bone in Eurovision successes and results. 

The 31-year-old singer actually is a Cypriot born and bred in Larnaca and co-writes with Efthivoulos Theocharous and lyrics penned by Vaggelis Konstantinidis, and Evelina Tziora. Her record label Minos-EMI Universal is bidding obviously, for a decent result wise outcome which is aiming at realising qualification hopes for the team.

She is a doubtlessly very pretty and classy and is evoking much in the way of feeling in her song. The whole thing starts a little silently with emotive piano, and peppered with strings adding to the atmosphere of our tune, which steadily builds in a fairly solid progressive ballad way.

In my opinion our effort has qualifying potential to the final all the way from the first Semi-Final where it’ll be battling really hard from it’s specifically, 6th draw for a rightfully deserved place for the finale night. 

Cypriot Maria is the reigning champion of ‘The Voice’ after proving triumphant for last year’s Greek talent show format. Maria Elena also this March initiated a long run at the Posidonio which is a very popular bouzoukia in Athens, appearing with Giannis Ploutarhos and Kostas Martakis all the way to August with only the mini-‘break’ for Eurovision interceding to affect Maria’s domestic music schedule this spring.

Our hosts Mary Sinatsaki and Ntoretta Papadimitriou for two hours of the transmission live at the Enastron music hall. They sung with former entrant, Freaky Fortune ‘Rise up’ in the interval act. Celebrating, the biggest moments of Greek entry’s ever was Boys and Noise cover rendition to Antique’s ‘Die For You’ rekindling our memory banks of 2001’s Top 3 result that year. 

First act was C:Real with ‘Crash and Burn’ their lively rock-pop style entry was fusing solo bouzouki in the bridge section of the track to give that Greek touch.

Thomai Apergi and Legend, with ‘Jazz Kai Sirtaki’, all Greek language song was certainly full of happy feeling, insipidly fun, with very fast, rousing bouzouki featuring at the very climatic break-down of the up-tempo number.

Hopeful Barrice presented his Greek pop ditty  ‘Ela’ combining… lively  bouzouki Sirtaki in the break.

Shaya’s ‘Sunshine’ was a fairly up-beat effort fusing strong elements of Greek Clarinet with a very exciting bridge part of the track – just all Klarino. This reviewer, LGR dj, is adding the lively cut to the track-listing favourites of this year’s summer hits. 

Greece competes in the first Eurovision Semi-Final…

Elena Paparizou almost inevitably sung a new mix of ‘My Number One’ with all five of the competing artists relieving, in a small way, that occasion, sweeping us back exactly to the momentous win. Paparizou also covered Austria’s entry ‘Rise Like a Phoenix’ and new track releases ‘Love Till It’s Over’ and ‘Aggeloi Den Klanei’.

The video footage of Bessi Agyraki, Elpida, Alex Kostala, Constantinos Christoforou and Elena Paparizou also a highlight gave our competitors really top tips for how to succeed in the song contest itself. 

Thanos Kalliris and Kings covered 1987’s ‘Stop’ number and Giorkas Lorkas with his ‘Watch My Dance’ zeimbekiko filled entry of 2011 was joined on stage by the Children’s SOS Choir for his act. The event specifically re-united boy-band One with the Cypriot’s highly-ranked Top 6th result with the ‘Gimme’ song.  

The jurors consisted of Nikos Ksanthoulis, composer and director of music at NERIT, composers Mixalis Oikonomou, Giorgos Niarxos and Tzik Nakasian, also Litsa Piskera (former public relations of ex-ERT), Reggina Kouri public relations of Mad TV, and formerly Greek act Marianna Efstatiou in 1989 and 1996 also composed the full judges that night.

Cypriot John Karayiannis proved his ballad savvy mettle with a modest performance of ‘One Thing I Should Have Done’.

Greece will compete in Semi-Final one on Tuesday 19th May, jostling for one of the Top 10 relevant qualifying places in the Final airing on Saturday 23rd May at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna.

The military parade marking the anniversary of March 25, the Greek Independence Day, has concluded in downtown Athens.

Festivities are currently underway with traditional dances, music and high spirits, despite the rainy weather.

President of Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos attended the parade along with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Parliament Speaker Zoi Konstantopoulou and ND leader Antonis Samaras.

This year’s March 25 festivities marking Greek Independence Day and the Feast of the Annunciation are different to what Greeks are used to. The ‘alternative’ festivities resemble a Balkan feast with a number of parallel events that include Greek traditional songs and dances in downtown Syntagma.

Cyprus marks Greek National Day with island-wide celebrations

Cyprus celebrated on Wednesday the Greek National Day, with religious services and pupils` parades in all major cities throughout the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus.

Celebrations in the capital, Nicosia, centered around the Panayia Phaneromeni Church, in the old part of the town, where a commemoration service was attended in the morning by the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, the President of the House Yiannakis Omirou and representatives of political parties, of the military leadership and of the Greek Embassy.

The service to commemorate the begin of the Greek independence struggle, in 1821, was officiated by Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus, while MEP Costas Mavrides has addressed the panegyric of the Day.

Later on, President Anastasiades attended the pupils` parade, in front of the Embassy of Greece, in Nicosia, and afterwards he addressed a reception, hosted by the Greek Embassy to honor the Day.

Similar celebrations were also held in Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and other smaller towns.

Cyprus Government Spokesman Nikos Christodoulides (pictured) has expressed Nicosia’s disappointment and regret for the fact that not all fellow EU member countries offered their support regarding the violations of the country’s sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by Turkey.

“Solidarity among partners is a two-way street. On the issue of Ukraine, Cyprus has consistently participated in the EU consensus, actively supporting the EU position, even though it has entailed a significant cost for the Cyprus economy at a time when it is recovering from the blow suffered by the March 2013 Eurogroup decision. We expect the same solidarity from our EU partners on issues that are of vital importance to us,” said Christodoulides during an event held at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster on Wednesday evening.

He called on the European partners to ask themselves “what it says about the credibility of the EU and whether it is acceptable that there was such a strong reaction by the EU vis-à-vis Russia in the context of the Ukraine crisis, while the EU has opted for a very cautious approach when it comes to Turkey’s – a candidate country’s – actions in Cyprus, an EU member state.”

The Government Spokesman was addressing an audience of British parliamentarians and members of London’s Cypriot community. He started off by providing a comprehensive summary of the way the latest round of talks on the Cyprus issue has developed, strongly criticising Turkey for its actions over the EEZ of the Republic. As he noted, these actions left President Anastasiades with no other option but to suspend the Greek Cypriot side’s participation in the negotiations. “It is abundantly clear that Turkey’s actions, in the midst of the negotiations for a comprehensive settlement, serves only to seriously undermine the negotiating process and raise more serious doubts as to Turkey’s commitment to reaching a settlement, and contributing concretely to this direction,” he added.

Christodoulides stressed that the Greek Cypriot side has made it clear that it is ready to return to the negotiations provided that Turkish provocations seize. He pointed to a number of proposals by President Anastasiades that would allow the negotiations to resume, which “were unfortunately rejected by the other side.”

With regard to the recent visit by the President of the Cyprus Republic to Russia, the Government Spokesman said it was part of the long-standing practice of keeping all permanent members of the UN Security Council duly and equally informed of the latest developments. “A small country like Cyprus, with 37% of its territory under military occupation by Turkey, cannot afford to ignore any of the permanent members of the UN Security Council,” noted Nikos Christodoulides.

He also referred to the traditionally proactive and supportive role Russia assumes in the Security Council when Cyprus is discussed, contrasting this to “difficulties” Cyprus often faces with the stance adopted by other UNSC permanent members.

As for the intense media scrutiny the President’s visit received, the Government Spokesman commented that the reports “often ignored the fact that in all meetings President Anastasiades pressed the EU’s united and principled stance on the Ukraine crisis.” Referring to the agreements signed in Moscow, he said that the Agreement on Military Cooperation updates and codifies the ongoing framework of operational cooperation between the two countries, and that the MoU on Naval Cooperation spells out existing naval aspects of this cooperation in an implementing document for improved operation purposes on a case by case clearance by Cypriot authorities, already provided to the Russian fleet.

Christodoulides also spoke about Cyprus’ central and decisive role in promoting security and stability in the turbulent region of the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighting the key role the country is playing in tackling terrorism – by supporting form the very beginning the coalition against ISIS and contributing in the international community’s efforts in every possible way.

He made a special reference to regional cooperation and synergies created with Cyprus assuming an active role in building them and noted the potential of the hydrocarbon discoveries in the EEZ of the republic of Cyprus: “They have the potential of transforming the island into an important pillar for implementing the EU’s policy to enhance energy security by securing alternative supply corridors.”

As for the country’s economy, he said that the full implementation of an ambitious economic reform and consolidation program, along with the sacrifices by the resilient Cypriot people, is yielding tangible and positive results sooner than expected. “We have not yet reached the end of the road, but we are certainly approaching the end of the economic crisis,” said the Government Spokesman.

The event was hosted by a number of MPs from all major parties in association with the President of National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, Peter Droussiotis.

Droussiotis said in his introductory speech that Turkey remains defiant – “an occupying force unwilling to take the steps which will bring unity to Cyprus as well as stability to the island and the wider region.” He added that Turkey seems intent to undermine the settlement efforts, as demonstrated by its illegal incursions into Cyprus’s EEZ. He also accused the international community of applying double standards in reference to the reaction over the Ukraine crisis and in comparison to the reaction against Turkey.

Labour MP Gareth Thomas praised the Cypriot government for the way it has approached the talks and said that although Turkey has an important role to play in terms of regional security, it has to do its bit to help reunify the island.

David Burrowes, a Conservative MP in north London, said that the UK has a heavy burden and responsibility to try and find practical ways in seeking a solution to the Cyprus issue, and he also highlighted the importance of returning Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants.

Jim Sheridan from the Labour Party raised the question of the contrast in the international response to the situation in Ukraine and the one in Cyprus and Sir Alan Meale, also a Labour MP, wondered what is the point of being part of the EU family if the rights of one member are not safeguarded by the rest.