Six months ago we invited you to join us on an extraordinary journey.  As this journey comes to its end, we find ourselves feeling both relieved and anxious. For now it is time to lose the “extra” and return to the “ordinary”. It is also time to get… reacquainted with our loved ones at home who thought they had lost us under piles of folders and empty coffee mugs with our eyes glued to a screen and our ears constantly attached to a phone, as we were engaged in what -at first- seemed a race against all odds. No wonder the Cyprus Presidency was the first Presidency to actively join the Brussels Marathon last October… Yet another challenge!

Through our journey we haven’t encountered any mythical creatures that inhabit strange lands. However, we did meet many interesting people and come across mind-broadening ideas. Among them were the inhabitants of the Blogosphere, thanks to the “Bloggers Meeting” -an innovative initiative organised by the Cyprus Presidency and perhaps a legacy for future Presidencies. And we also did meet… our limits, only to realise that flexible work pays off far better than plain hard work. And that payment often comes in a smile and a pat on the shoulder.

Standing at the doorstep (funny how this word has now acquired a whole new meaning), we bid you farewell, thanking you for your trust and encouragement.  We tried our best – even if this was sometimes accompanied by a few extra calories!  Like the “Meet the Experts” event, organised by the Perm Rep of Cyprus in Brussels, which took a mouthwatering turn when journalists and Presidency experts reviewed ongoing projects over generous portions of souvlaki! Typical of Cypriot gatherings and in line with our ancient Greek heritage: Filoxenia. Remember that? The notion that acted as the central message of the Cyprus Presidency, expressing our desire to be a welcoming place, a “filoxenos topos”, and keeping us up and running, in an effort to provide an efficient and hospitable working environment at the Cypress Media Centre in Nicosia.

We would like to wish the best of luck to our Irish counterparts. Special thanks go to our colleagues from previous EU Presidencies and the Council, as well as to all of you – press representatives, officials and fellow citizens of Europe – who joined us on this amazing journey, either in person in Cyprus and in Brussels or through the official website cy2012.eu. 

It’s been a precious experience – one that we’ll always cherish. Until next time…

The Cyprus Presidency Communications Team