It has been a busy past few weeks in Cyprus. Gate 9 as always during the Easter break organizes many activities both for the supporters but also for social contribution.
Throughout the holidays at our central fanclub there were competitions (Poker, Backgammon, Table-Tennis) that got all brothers and sisters involved in having some fun and relaxing during a festive time of the year for us in Cyprus, and also a time of no sporting action. Also many of the Gate 9 fanclubs in other cities in cyprus hosted an array of music nights and parties, such as the live music party hosted at the brand new Gate 9 Larnaca branch.
It was not all fun and games though and as every year Gate 9 also organised a day at the central Fanclub where people from the blood donation department of the General Hospital came and many of our members joined to donate their blood to the blood bank of the General Hospital so it can be used to help the people that need it most.
Yesterday, May 1st, Labor Day, as every year Gate 9 joined with all the workers of the land to celebrate this glorious day in the annual May Day Parade through the streets of Nicosia. Thousands of people showed up from all corners of Cyprus with their May Day flags, banners and even their marching bands. It was a very special day as this time, was the first time in 56 years that both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots united together in the celebrations. It all started with meeting outside the Ministry of Economy and then marching through the city until a wide open space next to the Ledra Palace Hotel in Nicosia. The hotel lies in the Buffer zone, the area which separates and divides the two communities until this day. A big concert was held with thousands of Turkish and Greek Cypriots all participating as one ! A truly fantastic experience and testament to our commitment to work for peace along with our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters.
Other Gate 9 sections also participated in the local May Day parades in their own areas of Cyprus, like our Lakatamia Section which marched with a banner that said: “The worker’s struggles are never forgotten”.
Gate 9 was from the first groups to parade into the main meeting area holding our banner proudly. Our banner read “Worker, you are hungry! Why do you still obey them?”. By this we sought to inspire the people to think and act truly against all forms of capitalism that take advantage of the workforce while giving little back, without workers , nothing can be achieved! Therefore they deserve the utmost respect!
Omonoia also participated with some young boys from the academies who where holding a banner which wrote: “No to Racism” , in Greek and Turkish while they all held bananas in their hands in light of the recent incident with Dani Alves.
The evening ended with us walking back in the streets of Nicosia, singing Gate 9 songs that pierced the silence of the night!
