A group of Greek Cypriot motorcyclists is traveling across Greece this summer to honor the memory of Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou, whose deaths during anti-occupation demonstrations in Cyprus in August 1996 became defining moments in the island’s modern history.
The initiative marks thirty years since the two men were killed near the UN buffer zone in Deryneia and seeks to keep alive the memory of both the victims and the unresolved Cyprus issue through a symbolic route linking Greece with occupied Cypriot towns.
Organized by the Initiative for the Memory of Isaac and Solomou, the tour began in Cyprus before participants crossed to Greece to continue a journey that includes locations sharing names with towns in occupied northern Cyprus.
Among the most symbolic stops was Karavas on the island of Kythera, which shares its name with the occupied town of Karavas in Cyprus’ Kyrenia district. Riders held a memorial event there, emphasizing the historical and emotional connection between the two communities.
The itinerary also includes visits to Kyrenia in Achaia, Salamina in Attica, Rhodes, Kastellorizo, and Athens before participants return to Cyprus.
Journey in Greece aims to preserve historical memory of Isaac and Solomou
According to organizers, the journey aims to preserve historical memory while drawing attention to communities displaced following Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus and the continuing division of the island more than five decades later.
Isaac was killed on August 11, 1996 in clashes that erupted near the ceasefire line during a protest against the Turkish occupation. Three days later, Solomou, Isaac’s cousin, was shot and killed while attempting to climb a flagpole as demonstrations were being held after Isaac’s funeral.
The deaths shocked Cyprus and attracted international attention, with both men becoming enduring symbols for many Greek Cypriots of resistance to the island’s division.
This year’s commemorative ride forms part of broader events marking the thirtieth anniversary of their deaths and the continuing effort to preserve the memory of the events of August 1996 for younger generations in Cyprus and the Greek diaspora.
As the motorcyclists continue their journey through Greece, organizers say each stop serves as a reminder of places left behind, communities displaced, and a chapter of Cypriot history that remains unresolved.
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