^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

"Greek Cypriot" flag (Cyprus)

"Greek Cypriot" flag
Alleged flag of the "World Hellenic Association"

See also:

Cyprus

"Greek Cypriot" flag

"Greek Cypriot" flag - Image by Clay Moss & Graham Bartram, 22 June 2006

It has been (and still is) quite common for various groups or individuals in Cyprus to "innovate" by using Greek flags with various emblems on them. The unofficial website History of the Greek Armed Forces shows a Greek white-cross flag with the yellow map of Cyprus in the center. The description of this flag is given as: "Flag symbolizing the desire of our Cypriot brothers for UNION with Greece".

Theo Styilianides, 24 January 2004

During our visit to Cyprus some years ago, we saw this flag being flown as widely as the Cyrpriot flag; in fact, the general order of flags flown consisted of the Cypriot flag, the Greek flag, and this particular flag, which I was told was the flag of the Greek Cypriots.
In general, the flag sequence described did not fly from public buildings, but it was very visible in hotels, restaurants, etc. It was also often seen flying from the radio antennas of taxicabs in Paphos.
I asked several people in Cyprus, including the management of the hotel at which we stayed and where the flag was flying, and was told by several people that this was the flag of the Hellenic Community of Cyprus. I do not know if there is some sort of official organization of the Greek community, either part of or independent from the Cypriot government, nor could anyone tell me much about the flag in terms of its official status. The owner of a restaurant where we often ate told me that he remembers the flag when he was a boy in the late 1950s when it was flown, as he put it, "to get a rise out of the British soldiers."

Ron Lahav, 23 January 2006

Alleged flag of the "World Hellenic Association"

Alleged flag of the "World Hellenic Association" - Image by Steve Zandi, 12 September 1996

I have just received a picture of some of the Greek Cypriots involved in the border incidents there recently. Alas the photo is black and white. However what we have is a dark background (surely blue) with a white cross. In the centre of the cross is an outline of the island of Cyprus which looks like it's the same colour (outline has thick lines "fuzzed" in towards the centre) and in the centre of this outline there is a 45 degree profile of a Greek temple facing left.

Andy Fear 12 September 1996

This flag is the flag of the World Hellenic Association. The temple is the Parthenon.

Andreas Constandinou, 20 April 1998

There was one huge flag like this at the Kallimarmaron (Panathinaiko) Stadium at Athens, between the spectators, at the welcome ceremony of the European Champion national football team of Greece.
I am not sure that this flag is really the flag of the World Hellenic Association.

Panayiotis Panayiotou, 1 September 2004