Family Values and Society

The social system is centered around the family. The family is made up of both the immediate and extended families. It is expected that the extended family will assist the relatives. Grandfathers, both paternal and maternal, enjoy close relationships with their grandkids.

Children are expected to care for their parents as they age or get ill, and elders are respected. Because of their two primary religions, Greek Orthodox in Greek Cyprus and Islam in Turkish Cyprus, Cypriots have a strong respect for authority. People are valued regardless of their status and age. Older individuals are respected and considered wise. In a group, the senior member is respected and honored. They are served and introduced first in a social setting.

Families frequently eat together in restaurants or at home in Cyprus, where the emphasis is still very much on the family. This is especially true on Sundays. It is fairly typical to see multiple automobiles unload large families, including the elderly, teenagers, and children, onto the beach or at picnic spots. The families then go on to set up barbecues, play music on portable sound systems, and settle in for the day.

Respect for the elderly, consideration for expectant mothers, and indulgence for youngsters are all widely practiced. Due in part to an old wives' legend that states that if pregnant ladies don't receive what they want to eat, their unborn kid will be birth-marked accordingly, pregnant women are given special attention. Cypriots who inquire about your kids or grandchildren aren't simply being polite; they genuinely want to know. So answer them and inquire back.