Cyprus Braille Newsletter Reports on Numerous Disability Activities
Issue Number 2, November 2001
Published by the Pancyprian Organization of the Blind, Nicosia - Cyprus
Editor: Christakis Nicolaides
Assistant Editor: Anthos Shekeris
Table of Contents
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Comment from the Editor
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The factual and legal situation of people with disabilities in Cyprus, by Michael Florentzos
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Cyprus through the Eyes of Rina Catselli, by Rina Catselli
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EmployAbility II - Community Vocational Training Action Programme (Leonardo da Vinci), by Christakis Nicolaides
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An expedition into another world, By Ruth Gschwendtner
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Impressive Mount Athos Byzantine architecture, by Lonias Efthyvoulou
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A walk in Marathasa, by Bill Macfarlane
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The art of wanderlusting, by Glyn Hughes
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A remarkable wine, by George Lanitis
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Readers Feedback
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Contact/Subscription Information
1. Comment from the Editor
Dear readers,
Welcome to the second issue of the Cyprus Braille Newsletter, which is sent to you three months after its first edition.
A lot of material is on my desk, waiting to be looked at and assessed in order to be printed as part of the second issue of the Cyprus Braille.
For this current issue I have chosen amongst others, an article concerning the factual and legal situation of people with disabilities in Cyprus, by Michael Florentzos, President of our Organization, delivered at a European Union Seminar in Brussels within his capacity as President of the Cyprus Confederation of Organizations of the disabled. Furthermore, we will present the speech of Rina Catselli, which was held at a dinner prior to the European Blind Union Commission on the Advancement of Interests of Blind and Partially Sighted Women during their meeting of 22-24 of June 2000. Mrs. Erini Catselli (called Rina), was born 62 years ago in Kyrenia, a small and beautiful town at the North of Cyprus. She was forced to become a refugee in 1974, leaving her house and everything else there, when the Turkish invasion took place. For fifteen years, she was a Member of Parliament representing the refugees of Kyrenia district, and she happens to be the first woman to enter the Cyprus Parliament as a Member of it; what she has always loved more, however, is writing novels, plays etc.
Two short reports on projects with which our Organization was involved follow. For the end we have chosen an article about mount Athos in Northern Greece, where many famous Christian monasteries are situated, in addition to three articles which were included in the Cyprus Weekly, on matters of general interest: (Wanderlusting, art and wine).
In our offices here in Nicosia there are always a lot of activities, in order to meet the needs of the 1000 blind people living in Cyprus. Last October was however, devoted to many international matters. We run a project within the framework of the European Union Programme "Youth for Europe", in which 15 members of the Sport Club "Ifaestos" from Thessalonica, Greece, took part. 15 young members of our Organization participated as well. The two teams had the opportunity to attend various seminars, to visit different archaeological places and make various excursions. They also took part in the first Pancyprian Championship for the Disabled, which took place in Makarios Stadium of Nicosia on the 20th of October. A sports seminar was also organized where specialised people on sports, Cypriots and foreigners, presented their work. Amongst them was Mr. Clive Spencer, qualified teacher of the blind in a specialist secondary (11-18) school for the visually impaired, run by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, who introduced us to the methods, techniques and regulations for the team sport of goalball and also Ms. Maria Marcou from Vision Australia Foundation, who spoke about the sport activities of the Organization she represents.
In October, our Organization hosted also the third Pan Hellenic Conference for people with visual problems, which were attended by more than 200 people from 20 organizations, schools, and rehabilitation centres of Greece and Cyprus.
Another significant event of this month was the visit in Cyprus of 30 Austrian students with their teachers. This college cooperates with us in the field of tangible graphics (production of a bilingual book, which will include pictures that can be also felt by touch). (For further information on this matter you can refer to section 5 of our Newsletter.)
I would also like to inform you that the number of the subscribers of Cyprus Braille has increased. We have added in our subscription list, brailleists from Bangladesh, Egypt, Iceland, India, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan and the USA. Rehabilitation Centres and Libraries for the Blind have also asked for Braille copies of our Newsletter.
As you already know our issue is published with the assistance of the Rotaract Club Nicosia and I would like to take again this opportunity to thank them for their contribution in the development of this Newsletter.
Many regards and greetings from Cyprus to you all.
2. The factual and legal situation of people with disabilities in Cyprus
By Michael Florentzos
It is my opinion that there is an existence of an identical reasoning all over the world concerning the society's absolute necessity for regulating by the State the matters and problems of the disabled, either by legislative or by administrative measures. The nature and the extent of such measures depend on the special circumstances of each particular country and also on the characteristics of its society and its economy.
Prior to 1960, when Cyprus was a British colony and even after its independence, in 1960 and up to 1980, people with disabilities and their vocational rehabilitation, as well as, their social integration and education depended almost exclusively on private initiative and on the charitable feelings of the society. Nevertheless, it could be observed that since 1930 and up to the last years of the life of Cyprus as a colony, the private institutions of the disabled began turning into public institutions.
Until 1967, the only positive elements existing in the legal order of Cyprus, which could promote the taking of legal or administrative measures in favour of the disabled, were certain constitutional provisions of social nature and the whole spirit of the 1960 constitution, which declared that every person has the right to a decent existence and to social security and is equal before the Law and the Administration.
In 1967 the Republic of Cyprus ratified (by Law 64/1967) the European Social Charter the provisions of which safeguards the rights of the disabled for education and vocational rehabilitation. By the provisions of that Convention, which, after their ratification became part of Cyprus National Law, the State undertook in particular the liability and obligation to offer to the disabled all necessary means and services for their education and rehabilitation. Under Article 169 of the Constitution such provisions ratified by that Law prevail against the provisions of any other Law and cannot be amended by such other Laws.
The liability and legal obligations of the Republic of Cyprus towards people with disabilities were eventually increased by the ratification of the convention 159 concerning vocational rehabilitation and employment (disabled persons of the International Labour Organisation, which was done in 1987, by Law 42/1987. So the provisions of that Convention became also part of the domestic Law of the Republic.
The above Conventions together with the aforesaid provisions and spirit of the Constitution constitute, actually, the guidelines and legal basis for the regulation of the various subjects concerning people with disabilities. This legal basis and liability, which was already concluded by 1967, in combination with the social reality concerning the disabled, should effectively induce the State, to take the required administrative and legislative measures in order to enable them to achieve their rehabilitation, social integration and emancipation. Unfortunately, up to 1981, people with disabilities continued to depend almost exclusively, on private initiative. The liability and legal obligations of the State, as well as, the safeguarded rights of the disabled were forgotten. Nobody brought them forward. The legislator and the State should have materialized them.
In 1981-1982 the legal and moral obligations of the State were officially propounded for the first time. These obligations and the rights and demands of the disabled were included in the report of the Subcommittee on Legislation within the activities of the International Year for the Disabled, in which disabled themselves were involved. That report was submitted to the Council of Ministers of the Republic, which was in charge of the whole activity.
Law number 36/1981 granted to the employed disabled a mobility allowance covering the costs of their everyday transition from and to the place of their job, which proved to be a positive measure for their vocational rehabilitation and their emancipation.
The Cyprus Federation of Organisations of the Disabled (C.F.O.D.) was founded in 1984 and its members are Organisations consisting exclusively of people with disabilities and of the Pancyprian Association of Parents of Mentally Handicapped Persons.
The main endeavour of our Federation since 1984, has been to achieve a system of legislation and administrative measures, which would coordinate and guide the existing private initiative and extend, above all, the care and the social policy of the State, independent from the uncertain and unstable private initiative.
It is a fact that our Federation established and regulates a good relationship between people with disabilities and the State, as well as, the nature and extend of the support afforded by the State to the disabled. Within this frame, after 1990, a decision of the Council of Ministers led to the establishment of the Service of the Disabled, which functions at the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, being responsible for the care of the disabled in general. This Service contributes towards the expenditure required by the disabled in order to acquire the necessary means and equipments and any other financial support for their vocational rehabilitation and social integration. The service is being directed by a Board presided by the Minister himself. Members of the Board are representatives of all Ministries and of the Organisations of the disabled, appointed by the Council of Ministers. For financing various projects that are undertaken by various Bodies, Organisations etc Law number 79/1992 provides various funds coming from the Government and a special lottery, as well as, from the private sector.
In order to refer to some allowances or privileges granted by the State to persons with disabilities, I will mention, apart from the mobility allowance:
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The financial assistance (up to 11.000 Cyprus Pounds), since 1991, to the disabled to enable them to acquire their own car.
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The provisions of Public Education Law, introduced in 1987, giving priority to persons with disabilities up to 5% in the appointments of educational officers.
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The provisions of the Public Service Law of 1990 (Law 1/1990 which adopted the relevant amendment of 1987), giving priority to persons with disabilities to be appointed in every post in the Public Service, provided that they are candidates possessing the required qualifications for the post and they don't lack in merits comparing them with other candidates.
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The public assistance provided by the relevant Law (as amended by Law number 118/1988) to any needy citizen, which has been increased since 1988, by 50% in case the receiver of that assistance is a person with disabilities, plus the costs for special services they need.
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The special monthly severe disability allowance sanctioned by a relevant decision of the Council of Ministers, in 1990 of 150 CP, granted to paraplegics and persons who are in need to use a wheel-chair.
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The special annual allowance granted by Law 77/1996 to blind persons of 400 CP.
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The concession of 50% discount to the blind and his guide when they travel abroad by Cyprus Airways.
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The statute of a secretary-guide afforded, since 1993, to all professionally blind persons employed in the Public Service.
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The duty-free importation of various items, musical instruments etc to be used by persons with certain disabilities.
A Law, which passed in 1989 (Law number 117/1989), safeguards the rights and provides for the protection of mentally handicapped and establishes a public Board having the care for them. The above Law defines the term "mentally retarded per- son" and specifies their rights and the obligations of the State towards them. It regulates, inter alia, the prerequisites and the procedure for appointing an administrator for mentally handicapped. The Association of Parents of Mentally Handicapped has already suggested certain amendments of that Law, which would eliminate gaps and render its provision more effectively.
It is true to say that private initiative continues affording the basic financial support for the disabled and their Organisations and it recently increased its financial contribution. This is due to a major annual charity event called the Radio-Marathon, which was first launched 12 years ago and it deals exclusively with the collection and disposal of money for children and adults with special needs. It has formed a charity model concerning the disabled in people's consciousness and, therefore, does not send the correct messages towards public awareness. In spite of the fact that the Organisations of people with disabilities and our Federation itself have repeatedly demanded to participate in the organisation of that annual event, the organizers, who are powerful businessmen, insist to reject it. Of course, people with disabilities themselves feel very bad about it all. It is obvious that the role of the State should be more active and catalytic in the whole matter.
The Law number 127/2000, which has already been passed recently supplies the State with more powers to organize activities for the disabled and to finance projects or to collect money. Thus it is expected that the whole matter will be regulated in a more dignified manner. This law is safeguarding the right of disabled and is adopting the principle of non-discrimination. Unfortunately, this law embodies only certain of the Standard Rules of the U.N. of 1993 on the Equalization of Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities, though the scope of the law, as it is declared in its preamble is to promote and apply the Standard Rules. The law selected only certain provisions from the Standard Rules, which do not impose expenditure on the state. It establishes a special fund for financial assistance and support of people with disabilities for their social integration and vocational rehabilitation. It is quite astonishing that according to the law all the resources of that special fund are to be raised from the private sector.
It is obvious that there is a gap in the implementation of a system of legislation and administrative measures, which on the one hand should co-ordinate the private initiative, but on the other hand should extend above all, the care and the social policy of the state independent from the uncertain and unstable private initiative. It should be said that the above-mentioned Law aims to ensure equalization of opportunities by removing physical and social barriers and to eliminate discrimination by providing people with disabilities with the required services and means. As to the opportunities of people with disabilities to be employed, this Law doesn't impose a quota system, though such a system exists as to the appointment of educational officers on the virtue of another Law in force since 1990 in that field of education. Nevertheless, it provides the obligation of the Government to introduce schemes for employment of people with disabilities in both the public and private sector, the creating of incentives and the establishment of certain posts in the public sector for the employment exclusively of persons with disabilities.
A reference should also be made to the Ratifying Law of the Parliament 27/2000, ratifying the repealed European Social Charter, thus rendering it part of the domestic law. Article 15 of the Charter safeguards the right of the disabled for autonomy, social integration and participation to the community life, by affording to them the required technical support and taking the necessary measures.
Education of people with disabilities is based on a mixed system of integrated and segregated education. More precisely children with special needs attend school in the mainstream whereas special schools continue functioning e.g. for deaf, blind, mentally handicapped, for special cases, when education in the mainstream is impossible or undesirable.
But amongst the latest laws enacted is the law of July 1999 concerning the education of children with disabilities in the mainstream, which provides a spherical and total regulation for children with special needs. This law imposes on the State the whole liability and the whole expenditure needed for affording to children with disabilities the opportunity and all the necessary services and means required for their integration in the general system of education.
It is true that there exists a difference of opinion and intention between our Confederation and the State as to the nature and extent of the specific legislative and other measures required in order to implement the said recent laws which mainly define the obligations of the state towards the disabled and their respective rights. This burden and liability for promoting such specific measures affording specific rights, benefits and equalization of opportunities to persons with disabilities, I am afraid, lies on the shoulders of our Confederation.
It is obvious that the role of the state should be more active and catalytic in this respect. The law in general is expected to regulate the whole matter in a more dignifying manner. It is obvious that in the Republic of Cyprus there exist the legal and moral foundations, upon which the relevant legislation and other measures could be developed. What definitely lacks is the basis for providing people with disabilities with all the necessary special services and means required for their social integration and everyday needs. The State has never before seriously dealt with this immediate need.
I have already referred to the existence of legal, moral and international obligations and liabilities of the State of Cyprus. I have also referred to certain provisions of Laws, which certainly constitute expressions of a partial performance of the obligations of the Republic. As long as the State of Cyprus Proceeds in performing its undertaken obligations, by way of taking specific legislative and administrative measures, the prospects of people with disabilities concerning their vocational rehabilitation, social integration and equalisation, development and emancipation, will increase.
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3. Cyprus through the eyes of Rina Catselli' - Speech at a dinner in honour of European Blind Union Commission on the Advancement of the Interests of Blind and Partially Sighted Women
By Rina Catselli
"Gia na gyrisi o ilios theli doylia polli" "(It needs a lot of work and effort to make the sun go on)", says one of the Greek songs of Mikis Theodorakis. During the last century that other half of the human race, women, began an effort for equal human rights and participation in society with men. That goal has yet to be fully achieved. So the effort continues on all levels.
The efforts of the Women's Commission of the Pancyprian Organization of the Blind for achieving equal rights for the welfare of Blind and Partially Sighted Women in the broader family of the European Blind Union is even harder, has more obstacles and is certainly more important.
It is for me, a great honour to be among you tonight and I must thank the president of the Cyprus Branch of the Women's Commission, Alexandra Troullidou, the President of the Pancyprian Organization of the Blind, Michael Florentzos, and the General Secretary, Christakis Nicolaides, for the invitation.
I am aware that this dinner comes at the end of a full working day for you and I take this opportunity to wish you every success with the many issues you have on your agenda.
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and has been inhabited by Greeks since the beginning of historical times, thousands of years ago, who worshipped, above all, the goddess of love Aphrodite. We insist that she was born in Cyprus on a certain beach near Paphos. That is why she is called also Paphia.
That's why we are always in love on all levels. Lately, the great love of all Cypriots has been our stock exchange, by the way.
Unfortunately, we have grabbed the attention of all surrounding large nations, not for our capacity for love, but because of the very strategic position of our island in the East Mediterranean. Every large nation near us, since ancient times, has wanted to rule over Cyprus and its people. At first, it was the Assyrians and Egyptians. The Phoenicians tried also, then the Persians. Alexander the Great come as a liberator, as he was also a Greek, but we were soon under the Ptolemaeies of Egypt. And, of course, the Romans did not exclude Cyprus.
Then Saint Paul arrived and told us not to worship the Goddess of love and we lashed him in Paphos. We tied him to a column and gave him 39 lashes, actually. But we soon regretted it and managed to become Christians, combining the Love of Jesus with the love of Aphrodite, quite satisfactorily I might say.
During the Byzantine period, we were very religious and we built hundreds of churches with unique Byzantine frescoes. Some of them are still in existence today.
During the Crusades, the English king, Richard the Lionhearted, conquered Cyprus and sold the whole island to the French dynasty of Lusignans. We sympathized with the Lusignan kings because they feel easily in love with pretty women, although we insisted on remaining Orthodox Christians. After the Lusignans, Venice ruled Cyprus and gave Shakespeare the opportunity to write one of his great plays, "Othello".
After that, the Ottoman Empire expanded into Cyprus and for three centuries we had really tough times of poverty. When British Empire took over in 1878 things became a little better, but not much. We gained our independence in 1960 but in 1974, Turkish troops invade Cyprus and they still occupy a large part of our Island. We have been forced to live separately from the Turkish Cypriots since then, although we used to live peacefully together for centuries.
Nevertheless, we try to solve our problems peacefully and in the meantime we do not loose our courage and our good humour, hoping to see better days. We have also been trying hard to join the European Union.
In the meantime, everybody wants to have military bases in Cyprus but up to now we have only two British military bases, in the non-occupied by the Turkish troops area of course.
Expressing once more my pleasure and honour of being with you tonight, I wish you a joyful stay in Cyprus and to suffer as little as possible from the heat. Naturally, we are expecting higher temperatures in July and August. But we try to make the best of it by cooling ourselves in the sea.
Editor's note: Chapter 33 from the book Mrs. Catselli called the "Blue Whale", that she wrote, based in what the philosopher Heraclitus said, "edizesamen emeayton" (I seek my identity)" follows:
Blue Whale, Chapter 33
Often my acquaintances assure me that they know me very well and I always contradict them violently. The last time that this happened my behaviour was other than civilized because the man who spoke to me had good intentions. "I know you so well and I was sure the Turkish invasion would not break you, but you would continue steadfastly all the struggles of your race," he said to me. I almost stuck him.
In the evening my wife took me outside our shack under the carob tree so as not to wake the children up and she lectured me on how I had no right to tear the heart out of whoever made the mistake of thinking me a good and worthy man. A wild wind was blowing and the carob tree groaned and for the first time I asked myself why I become so aggressive when somebody claims to know me. When my wife went into the shack again I sat on the ground and leant my elbows on the wooden bench and after thinking for a while I found that I lose control of myself. I searched for myself before the invasion, now I try to establish myself in the nakedness of being a refugee without managing anything and it is natural that I am indignant when the first fellow being to whom I saw "Good day" comes along and says he knows what I am and what I am not. I have searched for my identity and I have not found it. I wonder if my friend Heracletus from Epheseus, whose heartbreaking search has come down to me directly in the same Greek voice in two words: "Edezesamen emeayton", found it.
You friend, do you ever search for yourself in this mad, turbulent world? I hope that at least you are lucky and find yourself.
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4. EmployAbility II - Community Vocational Training Action Programme
By Christakis Nicolaides, Contact Person, Pancyprian Organization of the Blind
EmployAbility II is a multiplier-effect project, based on a three-year 1996 project entitled Employment, Disability and Europe: the Emergence of New Labour Markets. This project produced on-line career management resources for disabled students and graduates in the UK, Greece and Sweden. The primary aim of the multiplier-effect project was to transfer these resources to two pre-accession countries: Bulgaria and Cyprus.
A secondary aim was some further development of the original training, in terms of content and accessibility. Widespread national and transnational dissemination was a key feature of the project. The partnership for this project comprised a total of four organisations from the three original countries, as well as five organisations from the two new countries; this resulted in an active partnership in which best practice could be shared and future cooperation initiated. The transfer of expertise to Bulgaria and Cyprus from the EUR18 partners was of paramount importance.
The main project product is the EmployAbility package. This is now available in five versions, one for each participating country, each in the national language. The five versions share a common framework, but are culturally-adapted for each country to meet user needs, to reflect legislation and the job market, to address attitudes to towards disabled people, and to contain country-specific sources of further support. This cultural adaptation is a key feature of the project, and one that is designed to maximise its impact. EmployAbility takes the form of on-line resources. There are five separate but linked websites (see http://www.intercol.edu/employability/) this is the Cypriot version, from which all the others can be accessed). All five sites have sections on "Career Management", "Communication Industries", "European Mobility" and "Legislation, Benefits, Support and Advice". The Greek, Bulgarian and Cypriot versions also have information on access to higher education for disabled people, since this is more problematic than in the UK and Sweden.
The websites are open and distance learning materials, containing, advice and guidance, activities, information and links; they are all designed to be accessible to people with a range of disabilities and to be compatible with enabling technology (e.g. screen reading software). Paper-based versions of the materials have been produced in Bulgaria and Cyprus to ensure that members of the target group without Internet access are not excluded. The resources are available free-of-charge, and there is no intention to commercialise them, particularly since the main beneficiaries are an economically disadvantaged group.
The development of the project in Bulgaria and Cyprus was materialised through extensive research (via telephone and face-to-face interviews), carried out with employers and intermediaries. This enabled the gathering of information about attitudes to, and knowledge of disability, in order to inform the production of the training. It also served to raise issues regarding the employment of disabled people at professional levels and increase employer awareness. This, in addition to subsequent, contact with both employers and intermediaries (e.g. trainers), challenged existing structures and knowledge.
Case studies of disabled people in employment, training and education, both within Bulgaria and Cyprus and beyond, were included on the websites. The subjects of these case studies can be seen as role models for other disabled people.
There has been an extremely positive reaction from disabled people in Bulgaria and Cyprus, particularly to the fact that this project has focused directly on their needs. In Bulgaria for example, beneficiaries were pleased with the "attitude" of the project, as well as with the actual information and advice given.
The project has been disseminated to local, regional and national policy makers in all countries involved. In Cyprus, there has been considerable interest and support from the Ministry of Labour and Works, including attendance at piloting and dissemination events. The project complements other recently-initiated disability work in Cyprus, such as a review of legislation regarding disability and employment, linked to the introduction of a quota system, intended to ensure that disabled people are represented within the work force. There is recognition that the number of disabled people in Cyprus is increasingly significantly - or, at least, the number of people declaring themselves to be disabled is increasing - and this makes disability a government priority. Indeed, this project is relevant to the extent that the Ministry of Labour and Works have expressed an interest in funding the continuation of the Cypriot EmployAbility site.
Project partners
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Coventry University (Centre for Research and Policy in Disability, United Kingdom: Contractor)
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Marie Curie Association (formerly 'Marie Curie - Health Association', Bulgaria)
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University of Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
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Intercollege (Cyprus)
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Pancyprian Organisation of the Blind (Cyprus)
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Pancyprian Organisation of the Deaf (Cyprus)
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Warwickshire Rural Enterprise Network (United Kingdom)
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University of the Aegean (Greece)
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University of Karlstad (Sweden)
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5. An expedition into another world
By Ruth Gschwendtner
The idea was, to look differently upon an ordinary school subject, like fine arts. Apart from painting and drawing nice little things, the idea was, to think about visual perception in general. We investigate blind people's sense of "seeing" and we realised that they "see" by using their fingers.
An Austrian group of 27 girls between 16 and 17 years old with me, their art teacher, accompanied by the sport teacher Irene Moser and the biology teacher Uschi Kulhay from a school in Feldkirch visited Cyprus. We are talking about a college for future kindergarten teachers. In the frame of a bilateral school project, we visited the Saint Barnabas School for the Blind in Nicosia as well as the Pancyprian Organization of the Blind there.
We attended lessons, we made our own experiences with the long white cane - under the guidance of a teacher, we saw many parts of Cyprus and we made friends with some of the blind students, teachers, the members and the music band of the Organization.
Our topic was FOOD. Food in all different kinds - being cooked, transported, stored, sold, bought, spoiled, lost, eaten - on and under the table, from people and from animals. Food is something, which can be experienced also by blind people, when they visit a foreign country. Food leaves a direct impression in our internal world, when the colours and forms are missing.
So we had the idea, to produce a bilingual picture book for sighted and blind people, which will enable children and grownups to get to know something about food. Through this project we intend to give information of the different kinds of food consumed in Cyprus, using the braille scripture and tactile graphics. This aim of getting ideas of each other's "view", each others problems seems to be very useful and interesting.
While staying in Cyprus, we learned a lot about each other, we took photos (about 200 films) and we lost all our prejudice concerning contact with the blind.
Our intention of making a picture book for blind and sighted people has become a deep and strong wish, because we want to construct a bridge between the two groups of people.
Our next working steps are to invent stories with our pictures, and to find a way of transforming special parts of the pictures into a tactile story.
The book should be funny and creative by giving possibilities of a common work between sighted and blind people.
We invited for May of 2002 our Cypriot friends and project partners in our school in Austria as guests in the houses of our students, and we hope to have finished already a prototype of the book - to have an object to test together. After the correction phase we intend to produce the book till September of 2002!
Till then, there is long way in order to achieve our innovative and very interesting objective! Let's continue!!
We are grateful for every tip, help and contacts. E-mail address: Ruth_gschwendtner@yahoo.de or pot@logos.cy.net
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6. Impressive Mount Athos Byzantine architecture
By Lonias Efthyvoulou (From Cyprus Weekly, Friday 16th November, 2001, with the kind permission of the publisher)
THE traditional architecture of the monasteries of Mount Athos is Byzantine. Built as small self-contained cities with the church in the middle, they are fortified with high strong walls and towers. Some monasteries, although following this pattern, were built on rocky pinnacles and became impregnable and unapproachable structures. The best examples are those of Simonos Petras, Diochiariou, and to a lesser degree others like Stavronikita and Pantokratoros, which were placed high above the sea, but were vulnerable by land where the strongest fortifications were built. Through the ages, additions were made to the inner as well as to the outer walls, with balconies and even entire apartments cliff hanging over the main structure, creating a labyrinth of inner passages and corridors. Another special example of fortification is found in the arsanades, serving as boat and storehouses for the main monastery, perched up in the hills and hidden from view from the sea. It is here that one can find extremely interesting examples of different tower fortifications. The arsanades had one big main gate facing the sea and were built as close to the water as possible. Monks kept and maintained their boats here, which were used to travel from monastery to monastery by sea, to carry cargo as well as for fishing - fish being a staple in the diet of the monks, who eat no meat. They were usually narrow and rectangular, with skids on which the boats were launched or hauled in to protect them against stormy seas, especially along the northern shores. Cargoes brought in by boat were usually stored in the rear, away from the sea. Provision for residence of boat keepers and store men were made in an upper floor. In charge of boats and stores was the arsanarchis. Because large quantities of stores were often kept in an arsanas before they could be carried up to the main monastery - usually by pack animals - a tower and other fortifications were provided, with a chapel usually on the uppermost floor of the tower. The arsanades and their towers are now the most visible parts of the mountain monasteries and are visible along the entire length of the coastline. The towers are of different forms and are very impressive with some of them well over 20m in height. They were purely defensive works and places of refuge for the monks in case of raids or siege. These towers are built of native unhewn stone and brick, with very thick walls and very few windows, particularly on the lower levels, which were mainly used as store areas. They have crenulations on top, and some have built-in archery windows from where defenders could fire along the walls or down at attackers. The towers are square in shape and have several floors with internal stairwells. The towers also include a chapel, in which the monks prayed in normal worship, or for divine help when needed.
Monasteries situated on the coast had the arsanas and its tower incorporated in the monastery structure itself. In addition to the arsanades and the towers main elements of monastery complexes, which are of architectural interest, are the kellia (cell compounds), the katholika (the main monastery churches), the phials or wells in the monastery courtyards and the trapezes or refectories. The kellia, or cells, are square rooms built into the outer walls of the monastery and face inwards towards the main courtyard. They were used for habitation and were often several storeys high. In some of the monasteries, like that of the Russian Saint Panteleimon (which at one time held as many as 3,000 monks), one can still see several five-storey structures of cells along the monastery perimeter. In front of the cells there are single or double cloisters with either stone arches or columns supporting upper floors.
The katholiko is the cathedral of a monastery, and is the main building of the complex. They were constructed as basilicas in the shape of a cross and with a central dome supported by four columns. Smaller domes are constructed in front and at the back of the main dome, over the Holy of Holies and over the narthex. Another characteristic of Mount Athos cathedrals is that the narthex is always double - an inner narthex called lyti, where certain services are held as well as funeral services on a monk's death, and an outer narthex. The phials are usually circular, supported by a number of columns. They are customarily situated between the church and the trapeza and are used in the ceremony of the blessing of the waters, particularly on the eve of the Theophania (Epiphany) ceremonies. Domes covering the wells (or mountain springs) are supported by decorated columns with the space between left open. The trapeza is where the monks partake of their evening repast, which, in monastic ritual, is considered as a continuation and equal to the liturgy. The monks usually meet in the narthex of the katholikon and from there, in procession; singing psalms proceed to the trapeza led by their abbot. The abbot takes his place at the highest position in the hall, usually under an arch. He reads a prayer and blesses his congregation before sitting down to eat. During a silent meal a monk reads Scriptures from a pulpit. Usually the trapeza is a separate building situated opposite the church. It is rectangular in shape with a proportion of 1:3 and faces from East to West. The belfries are non-defensive and are much more ornate than the towers, they support the bells and the simantra - the wooden instruments on which religious messages are beaten by the monks to mark the passage of a service or to signal messages. The belfry is either an integral part of the katholikon, or else stands as a separate structure very near to it. The oldest belfry is that of the Vatopedion monastery where an inscription testifies that "the beautifully sounding bell above, which rings to call the faithful to God, was raised in the year 6,935 (1427AD)."
On Mount Athos the bells are rung only on Sundays and holidays. The daily call to prayer and services in the church is done by the Diakinitis, monk who uses the simantron.
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7. A walk in Marathasa
By Bill Macfarlane (From Cyprus Weekly Friday, 19 October, 2001, with the kind permission of the publishers)
ONCE upon a time, in the valley of the Setrachos river, there lived a young man called Ioannis. This was in Kalopanayiotis, still a mountain village, but much further down valley than Pedhoulas or even Moutoullas. Actually, this is not a fairy story. It was in the 11th century, and Ioannis was real. Apparently the story that is told has him jilting some young woman, his bride to be, to take up the monastic life in the establishment that, at the time, commemorated Saint Herakleidios. The bride's family were incensed against him and, somehow, being magicians, they blinded him, and then poisoned him. Poor young man, he was buried near the monastery at the age of 23, and was soon forgotten. Miracles were at hand, though.
Nearby were some curative mineral springs. They are still there. In fact they will be the first calling place on our circuit, (yes this is a walk) after we have had a look round the church, the monastery and the Museum of Byzantine Art.
To cut a long story short, an epileptic on the way to the curative springs stumbled on his grave and was instantly cured. Further miracles took place, defying the dictates of the science of that time, and in due course, Ioannis was sanctified as Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis, St. John of the Lamp. In time, the dead Saint's feats of healing reached such peaks that he came to displace Saint Herakleidios as patron saint of the place. Whichever way you approach, from Nicosia or from Limassol, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis is well signposted.
Follow the narrow road down towards the village and cross the modern bridge. There is ample parking near the kiosk that has appeared recently, and it is a short step from your car to the secluded courtyard that's contained between the church and the monastery.
As with the actual buildings, the painted walls of the church span a long period. They range from pictures of two simple monks in prayer, (12th century) in the chapel of St. Herakleidios, to the Italo-Byzantine illustrations in the Latin Chapel.
Stylised
These combine the stylised Byzantine tradition with at least an indication of the anatomical and perspective refinements of the Renaissance. OK, the perspective might seem a bit dodgy to the modern eye, but the paintings on the walls of the Latin Chapel focus on a critical transition in the history of European art. Elsewhere in the church you will see more primitive, or more traditional, Byzantine icons, some of which have been defaced.
To see more, visit the Museum of Byzantine Art, located in what was the village schoolroom, just beyond the gateway opposite the church. On display are icons, parts of candelabras and sanctuary doors that date as far back as the 12th century. There are no windows, the lighting is subdued, but sufficient to illuminate the exhibits.
The items on display have been given a clean up and a protective layer of varnish, but they are otherwise in the state they had reached when it was decided to bring them together in the museum. All are of local origin. Muted church music gives the place an atmosphere of calm.
Spectacular
Now for the walk. It's only three miles but, in its way, it is spectacular and varied. Whatever you do, don't allow yourself to be side-tracked onto the nature trail that some guidebooks mention. This starts just below the graveyard and, while it gets off to a promising start, with marker arrows, it deteriorates into a tangle of bramble soon after a small footbridge. Explore, by all means. There's a nice, mini rain forest effect down there, complete with umbrella trees and lianas, but in the end it will prove as impenetrable as the Amazonian selva itself.
Instead, come out of the monastery and head down, back past the modern bridge. You will see the mineral springs signposted along a crazy-paved path with shallow steps. This leads you to the sulphur springs past a Medieval bridge that must have given the original access to the monastery. The original way in was past what is now the Museum. The springs are piped under the shelter of low, roofed structures and steadily dribble out their tepid waters; depositing mineral stains on the bedrock. There are three of them, Stomachion, Thiouhon and Psamiakon, each differently mineralised. They are believed to be effective against a variety of ills, ranging from digestive problems to skin complaints and anaemia. Whatever their therapeutic properties, I'm not sure they are meant for internal consumption. Bathe your afflicted parts, however, by all means. It's very peaceful down there, with seats placed under tall plane trees and alders.
Circuit
There are canes and oleanders, and on the other side of the valley, lush terraced bits of garden. Sadly, guess what? Somebody has found himself a good place to dump rubbish in the bed of the stream that, totally unconcerned, dances musically by.
Having taken in the atmosphere, cross the medieval, arched bridge whose coat of arms, dates it before the days of the first Turkish invasion of Cyprus by Mustafa Pasha in 1570. A zigzag path will now take you up past tiny shaded gardens and vine patches to the road above.
Go right and walk back down the road to the new bridge and, straight on, into the village. You are on a quiet one-way system with hardly any traffic at all. It takes you through a quaint old part of Kalopanayiotis. The houses have spinning galleries and old, painted doors and windows. The ubiquitous corrugated iron roofs of the rest of the valley's villages are a feature here. Great in a hailstorm, so I'm told. Walk on, past two attractive small white churches and continue until you start to see glimpses of the bijou reservoir below and the village of Oikos opposite. There are one or two ways leading up left to the main village and the main road, but ignore these.
Now to complete a circuit of the village, nothing could be more simple than to double back up the main road for a few hundred metres. You might even pop in at the kafeneion to join the locals, whose mastery of the art of many-chaired repose is consummate. And what if the powers of the mineral waters have proved inadequate? You will find ample stocks of both; yellow and green cans are kept in the bar, for just such an eventuality. The views down valley, though, might tempt you on. So, what follows is the suggested longer route, shown on the map. It takes you down to the reservoir and back via Oikos, to Ioannis Lampadistis on the other side of the valley.
Whatever you do, don't be tempted to lengthen your route along the promising looking track that runs out along the left side of the reservoir. Getting down to the reservoir and escaping the enclosing fences, at its end, is a nightmare not to be repeated.
Complex
The good news is, you can miss out the section of main road that serpent its way down to the reservoir. The short cut is by means of some shallow steps down to the right, about 50 metres before you reach the highway. These cut out two or three hairpins on the road leaving you with only a short stretch before turning right, up to Oikos. This village has a complex system of lanes, but you can't go wrong if you make for the church and head up-valley without taking any of the down hill roads. Soon you will be out of this rustic spot and heading back to Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis. Only one mile to go and some spectacular views up the beautiful Marathasa valley to be enjoyed.
Kalo perpatima!
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8. The art of wanderlusting
By Glyn Hughes (From Cyprus Weekly, Friday, 26 October, 2001, with the kind permission of the publishers)
"THINGS have changed" were the first words of Ricos P. Iassonides in his lecture at the conference on "The Cyprus Tourism Industry in the 21st Century - Potential and Challenges in the Global Market". And, in the lecture of Christos Kyriakides, the speaker said: "Who would have imagined two months ago that the champion country of liberalism... would have needed to step in with a multibillion aid programme for its airlines". But I was only there for the art.
Having met George Michaelides at the Maria Doriti honouring where I discovered that ACT stood, not only for British AmDramers but for the Association of Cultural & (Special Interest) Tourism - and this included painter Stass Paraskos - I decided to go and hear Michaelides' lecture at 3pm on Friday 11th October at the Hilton Hotel.
In a marvellous talk as lively, sunny and optimistic as the themes he was promoting, George Michaelides with the help of slides - some quite rare - explained how tourists nowadays do not want the three S's - Sex, Sea & Sand.
Partying birds and the male of the species too, having taken wing from Ibiza to Ayia Napa will probably take flight and nest elsewhere. Fly and flop hols are over. Culture lovers are ousting the clubbers it appears. Who knows, Barbara Windsor probably saw every play at the Shiafkalis inspired Paphos Festival of Archaic Greek Tragedy and Comedy on her luxury visit. What a great Lysistrata you would make, Babs.
Special interest tourism (with its head above the shoulders) is not a new thing in Cyprus and neither is the promotion of it. All those painters who came here in colonial times such as David Bomberg, who covered the northern range with expressionistic verve in the late Forties generally came on their own accord, but in fact at that time Louis Loizou offered tours to the asbestos (!) mines in Amiantos, the vine experimental station at Saittas, the Cyprus Palestine Plantation at Fassouri. In 1960 Savvas Patsalides was organising wine route trips and visits to historical places. Stass Paraskos started the first School of Painting for foreign visitors (pig mentally educated tourists or travellers with brush) in Famagusta in 1969.
I remember it well. Going with George Skotinos. It was at a time when everyone was influenced by Hockney's quizzical figures, male nudes etchings were making the first reappearance since the Renaissance and everyone learned the colour of Cyprus first hand with the help of Stass. The sea in that area used to change from viridian to cobalt to ultramarine to cerulean to Prussian as the day went on. Stass's College is now in Paphos. At that time, too Pavlos Neophytou started the ornithological society and organised guided tours for birdwatchers. Soon, there were Akamas walking trips, tours in the old town of Nicosia and its suburb Kaimakli. In 1986 the first CTO brochure on Special Interest Tourism was published.
Wineries have developed centres for promoting the uniqueness of their heritage; Potteries are organising courses on traditional and modern pottery. Agrotourism establishments bring tourists close to the traditions and the people of Cyprus. You can tackle all the festivals in every town from the capital to the remotest village.
Germans, it seems, love hiking. The Dutch, cycling. Not having enough of their peddling amongst the tulips (a Cypriot product) back home they take to the roads past the red potato fields of parts of Famagusta district here. Wonder if they ever come across the early morning opening of the flax flower?
To the west the taverns of Droushia are full of ethnically mixed wanderlusts waiting for their safari guides to take them through Akamas the greatest adventure. Down the hill and more sedately the lectures and workshops continue at Drousha Heights Hotel. Michaelides rolled off ten points for our success in this cultural field: good climate, abundance of subjects, cultural heritage, communication, imaginative management, professionalism, good value for money, tourism infrastructure, accessibility, the people.
He also stressed: "All movements of persons... because they satisfy the human need for diversity, tend to raise the cultural level of the individual and give rise to new knowledge, experience and encounter. "Importantly, cultural tourism is a mechanism by which tourists can learn from the host society and experience a different culture. "Another concern is that the active, conscious involvement of the visitor with the host is in a manner which does not degrade the quality of the destination's socio-cultural or natural environment."
Reading the Arts Page please note that the other week outside the Limassol Municipal Gallery, two tourists walking by asked if they could go in. And so they did, having a lovely evening looking at the EKATE exhibition, meeting the talented artists; even meeting the legendary Maroula Zenonos of Curium Shakespeare fame. They also enjoyed the usual Limassol hospitality of drinks and souvlakia. Tourists may even take a short walk in Nicosia from Argo Gallery to Staffolini, to Gloria's, to Peter's, to Apocalypse and after enjoying such a heavy diet of fine art enjoy a sentimental Guinness at Finnbarr's on the corner and order an Irish stew which is called scouse in Wales. As Michaelides mentioned, tourists should flock to our very modern places as well as the classical and folk museums: try the Power House in Nicosia, the Skotinos's Arts Centre in Protaras, the Museum of Costas Argyrou in Mazotos, the Larnaca Municipal Contemporary Museum, the Monagri Foundation in the Limassol hills. Are you ready Helen Black for your soon-to-be Monagri installation? Maybe one day we'll all go and see the Michalis Kashalos environment in Asia?
Cyprus artists like myself in ivory towers or chilly attics may not want everyone popping in to their studios and personally nowadays I would lock the door - like Paul Newman in Hud - and try and get down to serious abstract stuff, but some artists - especially the young - like the extra attention.
Special interest visitors are not going to disturb our van Goghs during the hunting season although anyone with beard and beret attempting to capture the Cubistic muddy ochres and viridian shadows of Nicosia's back streets should beware of the occasional wayward bus. It will be full of tourist artists. Just as I am penning this paeon of praise for the tourists of special interests, a woman from Luxembourg faxes in to say she loves being creative and wishes to have lessons in watercolour painting while here between today (26th October) and the 17th of November. And she comes here often! George Michaelides is so very right, isn't he? Mrs. Yolande Barbarin, you should telephone Nicosia 666435, it's the office of Thassos Katsourides and perhaps he can put you on to the Association of Cultural and Special Interest Tourism and Mr. Michaelides.
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9. A remarkable wine
By George Lanitis (From Cyprus Weekly, Friday, 19 October, 2001, with the kind permission of the publishers)
Dr Yiannakis Ioannides, the creator of the brilliant series of Ayia Mavri wines, has done it again. His 1999 child, I am afraid still a baby, is a genuine cabernet sauvignon. Dr Ioannides in his Kilani vineyard, a part of the Afames wine legend, has planted experimentally a great number of the small beautiful cabernet sauvignon grapes. The vines love the white chalk soil of Kilani and have thrived, producing an abundance of fruit. The vines are now 15 years old and have reached maturity and Dr Ioannides harvested his first production in 1999. Harvesting was done in early September to avoid an over-mature grape. This is the reason the end result in the bottle has an alcohol volume of 12 percent, which makes the Ayia Mavri cabernet excellent for social drinking. The vineyard is near the crushing plant and the grapes do not get bruised. After they are crushed and fermented, the juice is placed in new French oak barrels to mature for a couple of years before bottling. The bottles are laid down in the isothermic cellars of the Ayia Mavri winery. I have tasked the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The colour is the brilliant side of cabernet sauvignon. The taste on the first nose leaves on the palette that unforgettable fragrance of Reine Claude, a fruit which in abundance in Kilani and is dedicated to Queen Claudia. The tannins are rich but controlled and the wine is reminiscent of the fragrances of the Afames region with touches of wild herbs like thyme and flowers such as almond blossom. This is one of the best cabernet sauvignons I have had the chance to taste. My only observation, which must not be considered negative, is that the 1999 vintage might need another year or so to gain its full maturity.
It is therefore a good idea, when this wine goes on the supermarket shelves at Christmas-time, to buy as many bottles as one can afford and keep them in a Eurocave or natural cellar. The price will be around CP4.50 to CP5 a bottle, an extremely reasonable price for a wine of this quality. If of course you were eager to drink it, I would advise opening the bottle at least half an hour before drinking it. It will also help if the room temperature is over 18 degrees C. You may find it necessary to put the bottle in the fridge, or even the freezer, for about ten minutes.
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10. Readers Feedback
More than twenty letters were received from our readers during the last three months. We thank you all very much for your encouragement for continuing the publication of our Newsletter and especially for your positive comments on different aspects of Cyprus Braille. We have again many different questions over a wide spectrum. Many of these questions will be answered here in this section whereas others will be answered through the various articles to be incorporated in the newsletter.
Mr. Iiro Nummela from Helsinki, Finland, expressed in his e-mail a message addressed to our Organization with the hope that the newsletter will familiarise people with each other's cultures and enable development of further cooperation. He is also drawing our attention to some technical points regarding the newsletter, such as the electronic format and the distribution channel.
We would like to thank him very much for his recommendations, which of course will be taken in to consideration. The Cyprus Braille Newsletter is already on the website www.pot-cyprus.com and I look forward to receive your comments and feedback.
All our readers know Mr. Pedro Zurita from Spain for his long-term service at the post of General Secretary of the World Blind Union. He received the first issue of the Cyprus Braille and mentioned in his letter that he read it with enjoyment. Mr. Zurita travelled a lot and he visited about 100 countries. Cyprus is unfortunately one of the few countries in Europe he never visited. At the time, he was Secretary General of the World Blind Union he had to face the problem of Cyprus having two communities (Greek and Turkish) and he quotes that it is an unknown fact that Nicosia is a divided city. He misses in our Newsletter that we do not allude to the problems between the Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus. He would like to know more about the political situation and especially how the problem stands out now.
One of the main articles of the Constitution of the Pancyprian Organization of the Blind provides that our Organization is not involved and doesn't deal with political and religious matters. It is an Organization where all blind citizens of Cyprus are equal members, irrespective of their nationality, because all of them have their permanent residence in the Republic of Cyprus. We have already more than 650 members, Greeks, Turkish, Armenian, Catholics or member of another nationality or religious confession living in Cyprus. Between the readers of Cyprus Braille we have two Turkish Cypriots living in the part of Cyprus that is occupied by the Turkish troops and also a Turkish friend living in Germany. The provisions of the Constitutions do not prohibit the publication in our newsletters and magazines of articles and information on general political matters and we assure Mr. Zurita that we will include more information about such matters in future issues of Cyprus Braille.
George Griller from Minnesota, USA, writes that Cypriot people share the fabulous customs and ancient, yet modern culture of Cyprus and wishes to read in our Newsletter something about Icons: "What is an Icon and why is it not idol worship; why are icons "written" and never "painted"; and, finally, why are true Icons always written with naturals (paints, brush bristles, etc.)." He would also like to know more about historic Icons of Cyprus.
We hope that we can answer his questions in future articles of our Newsletter satisfactorily and thank him very much for his nice letters. Mr. Griller would finally like work towards awareness of the many courses available to persons with a secondary-school English language reading level from the Hadley School for the Blind? He quotes that for the participation to this Distance Education School, students must provide medical certificate of blindness and also pass open book entrance examination (English Language comprehension skills). All Hadley courses are free. A Catalogue on cassette, in large print or in braille is available from the Hadley School for the Blind, 700 ELM Street, Winnetka, IL 600930299, USA.
Mr. Huang Jiani, Beijing, China, thinks that Cyprus Braille might develop mutual understanding and international friendship between us.
Mr. Pierre Baradat, Toulouse, France, would like to know the name of the currency of Cyprus.
We use the Cyprus Pound (CP), divided into 100 Cyprus Cent. The international exchange rate of the Cyprus Pound is approximately 1.59 U.S.D., or 1.11-Pound Sterling, or 3.30 Deutsch Marks, or 1.73 Euros.
Mr. Hicham Boukidi from Morocco, who has a BA in the English Language, considers the publication of our Newsletter as an "interconnecting line of articulation", "a big initiative that will help the blind know about one another, despite the long distances that separates them and the cultural differences imposed upon them".
We received also e-mail messages from Mr. Lawrence Dalli, who comes from the island of Malta. He expressed his thanks for the Newsletter and assures us that it will be a great success. He really enjoyed the articles about our beautiful island, which where very informative. He likes to read about fellow blind people especially in the Mediterranean region. Mr. Dalli would like to correspond with blind people all over the world, so that he would be able to expand his field of knowledge. You can contact him at the following address: Lawrence Dalli, 8 Father Joseph Nauudi Street, Ghaxaq ZTN 13, Malta.
Mr. Mohammed Abdel-Rhman, No. Postal 71641, Abou-tig, Asuit, Egypt, writes that he really enjoys our magazine with its variety of issues, news and views, full of enchanting interests. He is looking for pen-pals from anywhere in the world and promises to reply to all letters. Mohammed Abdel-Rhman is 25 years old, and his hobbies are reading, listening to shortwave-stations, travel and collecting coins.
We would like also to thank Martha C. Luce G from Mexico, for her nice letter and especially for her intention to send us a contribution for publishing in Cyprus braille in the future. Martha C. Luce G. is a lover of Mediterranean cultures.
From Mr. Shahaboddin Anwar, Executive Director of the National Federation for the Disabled, Po. Box 258, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh, we received a request for publishing in our Newsletter the information that the National Federation of the Disabled of Bangladesh provides general education and Vocational training materials, library facilities and other services to the disabled persons of Bangladesh. He asks for educational and vocational materials, such as magazines, books and dictionaries in braille, in large print and cassettes. He is also looking for special devices and electronic equipment for blind and partially sighted people.
As already specified we welcome any form of feedback. This is your page and here you can put forward your own ideas/contributions.
Your ideas/contribution will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
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11. Contact/Subscription Information
If you would like a copy of this newsletter in electronic form please send an e-mail to: pot@logos.cy.net
Subject line: Subscription to Cyprus Braille
If you require a braille copy of the Newsletter sent by snail mail please send a letter to:
Christakis Nicolaides, Editor
Cyprus Braille
Pancyprian Organization of the Blind
P. O. Box 23511
1684 Nicosia
Cyprus
Or fax your request to:
Fax: 00357 2 495395
For direct contacts please call:
Mob: 00357 9 657467
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