Statements by the General Secretary of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou on the match between AKEL and people of culture
19 December 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
On the occasion of the festive period we decided as a Party to hold this charity match. With Party militants and at the same time with people of culture as our “opponent”. And I say opponents in quotation marks because you know very well that AKEL and culture have a fraternal and long standing relationship.
First of all, I want to thank the people of culture who responded to our call to hold this match.
Secondly, I want to say that we have raised money on the occasion of this match. We have appealed to litigation companies who have willingly responded and are supporting this charity match financially. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart.
I want to announce that from this match, a total of 11 organizations and various initiatives will receive financial help so that we can provide help either to children or to people who need the support and warmth that the state should give.
Since the state, unfortunately, has a deficient policy on social policy, the actions by volunteers and often the relatives of people themselves who need help and support comes to fill these deficits. I want to congratulate them for their work. I want to send them the message that AKEL is by their side and we will continue to support them.
At the same time, we want to convey a message to the government that the deficits in the state’s policy cannot be covered by the initiatives of relatives and friends of our vulnerable fellow citizens, because social solidarity and social policy must first and foremost be the policy implemented by the state itself
We shall continue to submit our proposals and put pressure both inside and outside Parliament to improve and reform the social policy system in our country, which in any case is not appropriate for a state that wants to be called modern.
We thank you again for responding to our call today. I am sure that we will have a very interesting match as there is a surplus of talent.
