Our Congress Symbol Cyprus Tulip 

Cyprus Tulip (Tulipa Cypria) which is choosen as our symbol is endemic to Cyprus and comes from family of Liliaceae. It is known as "Medoş Lalesi" amongst Turkish Cypriot people. It grows in wild at the villages of Tepebaşı and Avtepe on the northern island, and at the Akama village on the south.

Cyprus tulip, consists of six oval petals on one receptacle. Petals are colored dark red and the inner and inferior part is black with yellow stains.

Cyprus tulip reproduces from the seeds from its flowers and every year on March and April it grows exactly from the same place the former tulip was.

It has been under protection since 1998 and it is prohibited to collect them.

Every year on March a festival is hosted in Tepebaşı and Avtepe villages in the name of Tulipa Cypria.

A legend says that Adonis (the lover of Aphrodite) was killed by a wild boar while he was out hunting and that the drops of his blood fell on the ground and they were turned into beautiful miniature tulips (Tulipa Cypria).