Living in Europe's last divided capital | Growing up in Cyprus

Sude and Orestis live in Nicosia, Cyprus. They’re both 22, both medical students with a passion for political science — yet they live under two different governments.

Nicosia is the last divided capital in Europe: a Turkish occupation in the North, the Republic of Cyprus in the South, and a thick green line cutting the capital in half to keep the two separated. We talked to two young Cypriots from either side of the ceasefire line to learn what life on a divided island feels like, and what their dream is for their home.

Chapters:

00:00 - 01:14 Intro
01:14 - 01:44 The most desired island in the world
01:44 - 02:33 A nation of refugees
02:33 - 05:10 Brief history of Cyprus
05:10 - 06:33 Living under the Turkish occupation
06:33 - 07:37 Heritage
07:37 - 09:15 We are Europe
09:15 - 10:56 What's next?

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[enentr]

Hi guys! Elena here, the journalist who produced this. A little disclaimer: the Cyprus problem is truly complex, so the views expressed here don't have the aim to describe those of an entire community. We know that the experiences of Greek and Turkish Cypriots can differ vastly, so please voice your opinions while remaining respectful of other users' perspectives. Thank you for watching!

[shinitai-]

Sude said "I have never been in Turkey in my whole life "in 6:21 but her Linkedin profile said she is graduated from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine in 2018 (in Ankara-Turkey) and Anadolu University Faculty of Political Sciences (in Eskişehir-Turkey.) That's AT LEAST 10 years of study in Turkey.


Why are you lying Sude?

[bardamubardamu]

Here the girl says she has never lived in Turkey. But she studied medicine in Turkey. I've never heard such nonsense in my life. There is no such thing as studying medicine remotely in Turkey.

[GN-pzlg]

The problem is not ethnic. Its political . Some People on both sides of the border share the same nationalistic ideologies that are keeping us divided . As a Greek Speaking Cypriot, i can tell our brothers from the North, there are hundreds of thousands of people who want a reunification so you can have a better quality of life and we can live together in peace .

[Adnancorner]

typical British tactic. The same thing they did in India, dividing the nation into two. its the British design every time.

[talatguneyli]

Out of all Turkish cypriots selecting that girl is very meaningfull !

[kevinphung]

I am from Taiwan and I visited Northern Cyprus two weeks ago. Landing in at the Ercan airport and staying in the Lefcosa, I crossed the border two times. My feeling is that people were just happy about having peaceful lives and hopefully making more money. At nights. I enjoyed seeing young people sitting and chatting with each other in a coffee street that literally adhered along the buffer zone which was wide enough to house a football court. I also spent time in Girne, a beautiful seashore where an old castle stood majestically.

[keremk]

If Turkish soldiers hadn't left their wives and children behind in 1974 and gone to Cyprus to fight to save her grandfather, Sude probably wouldn't be there to speak about "occupation". I'm sorry Sude, you may feel European, but that doesn't change the fact that you are Turkish, when the "Annan Plan Referendum" was held in 2004, Turkish Cypriots voted yes to unification, while Greek Cypriots voted no. The people of Cyprus may rightfully be disturbed by the actions of some Turks who went to Cyprus from Türkiye and may complain about some other political things but at the end of the day, remember that we are your friends, realize what you have experienced in the past and be a little grateful. Greetings from İstanbul to all peaceful people of Cyprus.

[ilkercelik_com]

Someone give that girl a cyprus passport immediately!!! She cant have a Starbucks coffee in her defacto country. Very sad.

[cypthug]

just one critisim : You should have talked with more Cypriots. Please make more and we will keep supporting you guys. Good Day!

[itekakatuka]

Europeans say that geographically Turkey is not a European country, which is true. Cyprus is not geographically European either. But the Europeans we know have two faces. Being in the EU does not change anything, Cyprus is not in Europe, it is in Southwest Asia.

[ynysmones]

As a Brit with a paternal grandmother who is Turkish Cypriot. When I did a DNA test it doesn't show up as Turkish, or Greek. It comes up as CYPRIOT. I know that my Grandmother grew up in Limassol speaking Turkish AND Greek. All Cypriot culture and all of Cyprus is my culture - greek and turkish. Cyprus should be one and the occupation must end.

[DimitriMichaelidis-upsl]

Cyprus is not divided, the northern part is forcefully and illegally occupied by turkey that won't leave even though 95% of Cypriotes want them to leave so they can live free in their own country! Suffering the ottoman yolk should never be considered peaceful because, it was also a forceful occupation that enslaved the Christian majorities all over Asia Minor and South Eastern Europe that forced conversions to Islam and then turkification for millions of christians by way of mohammads sword; this is why the turks of asia minor and nearby areas like cyprus don't look Turkic like the Mongols Japanese koreans and other Asians do, it's because they are mostly forcefully islamized Christians from the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire as the germans call it

[Ireneijs]

Elena mou, a colleague here. please correct your text. It is NOT North Cyprus. It is OCCUPIED Cyprus.

[nacirizagolu]

North Cuprus is not occupied but freed territory. If Turkey did not intervene in 1974, the TC lady in this video would not have existed as her parents would have been exterminated by EOKA whose only aim was to turn Cyprus into Greek Island.

[mikewillis]

sude's father is from turkey, but sude feels she doesnt belong to turkey, and calls turkey as occupier, let's think about this, you are born to a turkish father you were given a turkish name, you live with turkish people, you go to a turkish university, you speak turkish, you dream in turkish, the world see you as turkish, so called cyprus state see you as turkish and dont give you a passport, and you say you dont feel turkish and want turkish people leave the island. this is either inferiority complex or stupidity.

[YazminM]

I hope they can protect what is truly important, it is good to hear what they think about it. Thank you for the video, it has an amazing quality. You make something so hard to understand a little bit more simple for people that have never been there

[borangoren]

Sude seems to have forgetten what had happened before 1974. One thing I can assure you though is that, she couldn't talk here now if Turkey had not intervened. Learn from your history Sude, From another Turkish Cypriot.

[atilashefik]

Hope one day it be one country I love Cyprus. It’s a great place to live. Thank you for sharing your comments and take care.❤🎉

[yidbadoguru]

I'm a Crimean Turk and I totally feel for the Cyprus problem. I believe all young generation of TRNC should learn greek to an advanced level if they can so that they can better explain their side and come to good terms with their neighbors to prove a perfect humanity example. No wars or no fanatics of neither side should come triumphant. Love Greece and Turkey <3