02/06/2016 10:20
The first bicommunal event, organized by the Technical Committee of Education, will take place today, in the presence of the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.
The event begins in the morning at the Home of Cooperation, in the UN- controlled buffer zone in the capital Nicosia, with the participation of 50 Greek Cypriot and 50 Turkish Cypriot pupils, aged 11-12 years old. The children will attend various workshops with activities related to theatre, music, art, traditional games of Cyprus etc.
Anastasiades and Akinci, accompanied by their spouses, will arrive at the venue at 1130 local time (08.30 GMT), visit the workshops and talk to the children. The event will conclude at approximately 1215.
The Republic of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and still occupy 37% of its territory. Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-backed talks since May last year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal system.
Anastasiades and Akinci decided last November, in the framework of their peace talks, to set up the bicommunal Technical Committee on Education, tasked with reviewing research and good practices and undertaking new research on how education could contribute to conflict transformation, peace, reconciliation and the countering of prejudice, discrimination, racism, xenophobia and extremism and with devising a mutually acceptable mechanism for the implementation of confidence-building measures in schools and promoting contact and cooperation between students and educators from the two communities.
The event begins in the morning at the Home of Cooperation, in the UN- controlled buffer zone in the capital Nicosia, with the participation of 50 Greek Cypriot and 50 Turkish Cypriot pupils, aged 11-12 years old. The children will attend various workshops with activities related to theatre, music, art, traditional games of Cyprus etc.
Anastasiades and Akinci, accompanied by their spouses, will arrive at the venue at 1130 local time (08.30 GMT), visit the workshops and talk to the children. The event will conclude at approximately 1215.
The Republic of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and still occupy 37% of its territory. Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-backed talks since May last year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal system.
Anastasiades and Akinci decided last November, in the framework of their peace talks, to set up the bicommunal Technical Committee on Education, tasked with reviewing research and good practices and undertaking new research on how education could contribute to conflict transformation, peace, reconciliation and the countering of prejudice, discrimination, racism, xenophobia and extremism and with devising a mutually acceptable mechanism for the implementation of confidence-building measures in schools and promoting contact and cooperation between students and educators from the two communities.