Grand Opening

On the 28th of June 2006, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, led the grand opening of the new wing of the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly. The opening ceremony took place with the religious blessings of the Bishop of Kykkos Nikiforos and the Archbishop of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus.

Also present at the ceremony were distinguished personalities from the political and economic spheres of Cyprus, including the ministers of Health and Labour, party leaders and representatives, the mayor of Strovolos, the Director General of the Ministry of the Interior, and the Law Commissioner. They were joined by many members of the Armenian community of Cyprus, including the current and past Armenian representatives in the Cyprus Parliament. 

The Foundation is the work of brothers Bedros and Aram Kalaydjian, who started it back in 1984 but did not live to see its present development. The two brothers also represented the Armenian Community in the Cyprus Parliament for nearly 25 years. Aram served as the Armenian representative from 1982 to 1995 and was succeeded by Bedros, who served from 1995 till 2005.

“During my long-standing cooperation first with Aram and later with Bedros, I had the opportunity to learn how dedicated they both were to the Armenian community,” President Papadopoulos said in his speech.

He noted that his presence at the opening ceremony was a manifestation of the government’s strong interest in the welfare of the Armenian community of Cyprus.

The Cyprus government contributed CY£100,000 towards the project (against a total cost of around CY£400,000), and currently gives an annual grant of CY£6,000 against operational costs. The government also provided state land for the Foundation to complete the project.

The Kalaydjian Rest Home has now increased its capacity from 12 to 22 rooms, enabling it to care for up to 40 people, including Greek Cypriots, Foundation Chairman Roupen Kalaydjian noted.

Roupen Kalaydjian thanked the Cyprus Government for its assistance and noted that by opening the Rest Home to Greek Cypriots as well, the Armenian community was trying to repay some of the help and care the Cypriot people had shown to their grandparents who sought refuge on the island during and after the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

Speaking in Armenian, Tigran Kalaydjian paid tribute to “one of the most beautiful visions” of the brothers Bedros and Aram Kalaydjian, which started 20 years ago and has now been realised with the completion of the new floor of the Rest Home.

“'We the heirs,” he said, “are extremely proud of our fathers but are saddened that they are not unfortunately here to share this wonderful moment with us”.

The new floor is to be named after the sisters Arousiak and Alice Rafaelian, who bequeathed their house on Armenia Street in Nicosia to the Foundation.

Apart from the Rest Home, Bedros and Aram Kalaydjian also built in memory of their parents a chapel adjacent to the Rest Home.

During the opening ceremony, Mrs. Helen Gurunian, the manager of the Rest Home, was honoured for her laudable work at the Rest Home since 1987, when it first opened its doors. Dr. Vahakn Atamian was also honoured for outstanding services rendered to the Kalaydjian Rest Home, as he has been offering his medical services free of charge to its elderly residents since 1987.

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