Unaccompanied Cypriot children evacuated to Greece in 1974 likely over 5,000, new research suggests
The number of unaccompanied Cypriot children evacuated to Greece between 1974 and 1979 may have exceeded 5,000, more than twice the official figure of 2,000, the House refugee committee was told. Andreas Theodosiou, head of the 'Children Hosted in Greece in 1974' group, explained that many children left Cyprus informally with relatives or parents fleeing post-invasion conditions and were not formally registered.
Official records show 192 children were sent on the first evacuation on September 21, 1974, but research indicates the actual number may have been over 600. These children were placed in villages across the Peloponnese, suburbs of Athens, and Thessaloniki. Further findings remain under documentation but have been shared with the committee.
Committee chairman Nikos Kettiros praised the association's efforts to raise awareness through public events and school visits and highlighted plans for a dedicated museum to preserve the history of children affected by the invasion. Lawmakers emphasized the state's responsibility to document and promote this largely unknown chapter of Cypriot history to future generations.
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