Engaging in Peace

On the 15th October 2009, over 50 civil society organisations from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, gathered in the United Nations Protected Area to express their support for the ongoing peace negotiations. Mr. Christofias, the Greek Cypriot leader, and Mr. Talat, the Turkish Cypriot leader, planted two olive trees, and listened to a message read out by the organisations. The statement spoke of joint intercommunity efforts and trust building measures that are being initiated by both communities to discuss and exchange ideas in a manner which can contribute to the debate at the grassroots level. It also urged the leaders to keep the public well informed of any progress and to address emerging difficulties in a constructive way that would not adversely affect the outcome of the talks. Civil society seeks to embrace a catalytic role, the statement concluded. To contribute to a new impetus in realizing a bi-communal, bi-zonal, federal Cyprus.

Camera & Edit: Alana Kakoyiannis