The “ENGAGE- Do your part for Peace” project is hosting a special ceremony to acknowledge the people and organisations that have collaborated with the project and in doing so have contributed to the reconciliation effort on the island in their own engaging ways.

The Award Ceremony titled “Civil Society Matters” will be held today at 6:30PM, at the Chateau Status, in Nicosia (opposite the Ledra Palace Hotel). The representatives of the two leaders, Mr. George Iacovou and Mr. Kudret Ozersay, as well as the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN, Ms. Lisa Buttenheim will also attend the event. 

Since the launch of “ENGAGE” in July 2009, the project has sponsored, through its Small Grants Programme, 14 bi-communal collaborations, implementing initiatives leading to the rapprochement of the two communities. These small-scale projects, that received a total funding of USD 100,000, were implemented by organisations from both communities as well as bicommunal groups, bridging the divide that is keeping us apart for so many years. Their subject matter proved diverse and multifaceted, ranging from educational workshops to historical walks, to reality-documentaries. The ENGAGE project will confer special CSO awards to the partners of these projects in an effort to pay tribute to their contribution towards the common well-being of the island.

Screenings of audiovisual material will also take place at the event, which will project important outputs of the two-year cycle of the ENGAGE project, while a presentation of the “CIVICUS” Research Study conducted in the course of the project will focus on mapping Civil Society in both communities.

The event will begin with a short drumming session by the group Druminspire and conclude with a live performance from the bi-communal Jazz band, The Jazz Futures.

The two year cycle of “ENGAGE”

The project was launched on 7 July 2009, with its main outcome being the enhancement of the capacity of civil society to establish itself as a sustainable sector and a force of reconciliation in Cyprus. To this end, “ENGAGE” has provided 165 technical assistance sessions addressing Civil Society groups island-wide.

The project directed its many and diverse activities outside the capital and into decentralized urban and rural areas across the island. More than 10,000 participants were engaged in all activities and had an opportunity to take part in peace building activities.

A series of informative open discussions/presentations on Federalism, with international, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot experts analysing and explaining different aspects of the issue were organised in various locations around the island. Federalism was discussed in relation to Education, the Economy and Sustainable Development, while different variations of this system of governance were analysed in the context of the European Union.

Furthermore, in an orchestrated effort to raise awareness on the role of Civil Society, “ENGAGE” organised three NGO Fairs promoting the work of Civil Society Organisations to the broader public and the Media. Thousands of Cypriots attended these outdoor festive events and met with local and national CSO’s working for the common benefit of our island.

In the area of advocacy “ENGAGE” has been able to mobilise, in the course of its implementation, more than 100 NGO’s to jointly sign declarations and petitions in support of the Leaders’ effort towards reconciliation.

The “ENGAGE” project is currently listed by UNESCO as one of 450 projects and activities world-wide that promote the Rapprochement of Cultures. On a parallel note, the project was specifically acknowledged by the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, in his latest Assessment Report on the status of negotiations in Cyprus (August 2011), for its contribution to the overall efforts of the two communities towards peace and reconciliation on the island.

This award ceremony is marking the closure of the current phase of the ENGAGE project, which ran between July 2009 and October 2011. The project is expected to proceed shortly with a new cycle of activities, implemented by the NGO-Support Centre and the Management Centre sponsored by UNDP-ACT.  The objectives of the new phase focus on a wider still outreach and public engagement for reconciliation and an enhanced advocacy effort for reconciliation through the involvement of key people.

For further information about the “ENGAGE– Do Your Part for Peace” project, visit the official website of the project at www.engage4peace.org or contact the press and communication officers at +90 392 22 77 234/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and at +357 22875099/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Best regards,

Notes for the editors:

In relation to the project ‘ENGAGE - Do your part for Peace’:

The ENGAGE program (www.engage4peace.org) is implemented by the Management Centre the NGO Support Centre and is supported by the UNDP-Action for Cooperation and Trust (ACT) programme in Cyprus, since April 2009. The program “ENGAGE - Do your part for Peace” aims at strengthening the role played by Civil Society in the reconciliation process by increasing policy positions led by NGO’s and developing strategic partnerships and networks in both communities.

ENGAGE Do Your Part for Peace project is listed by UNESCO as one of the 450 projects and activities world-wide that promote the Rapprochement of Cultures. Furthermore, the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr. Ban Ki Moon acknowledged in his latest report the project’s overall efforts in the domain of peace and reconciliation on the island.

In relation to the NGO Support Centre:

The NGO Support Centre (NGO-SC) is a non-governmental, non-profit association that was founded in Cyprus in 1999. Its vision is to support the development of an emerging civil society in Cyprus and internationally, to provide resources to organisations for the purpose of undertaking a full partnership role in the socio-economic development of their society.

The objectives of the NGO Support Centre are:

• To help Cypriot NGOs build their capacities through the provision of consulting and training on organizational and management issues,
• To strengthen Cypriot civil society through intercultural dialogue and cooperation and by advocating for peace and reconciliation,
• To support Cypriot civil society by reinforcing links between local Civil Society Organizations and international NGOs, decision-makers and academics,
• To work with organizations in neighbouring and developing countries for mutual benefit, and to contribute in partnership, to the development of civil society infrastructure, human and social capacity.

In relation to the Management Centre:

The Management Centre has been in operation since December 2001 and it is now a fully resourced support centre that provides management and development services to organizations in non-profit, private and public sectors.. It has a team of highly qualified technical and administrative staff working full-time and also a pool of associate experts of consultants working project basis.

The vision of the Management Centre is to be a pioneering institution providing professional management and sustainable development services at international standards. There are three pillar programmes that the Management Centre has been built upon.  These are, Organizational and Economic Development, Work Based Learning and Professional Development and Civil Society & Reconciliation programmes.

The Management Centre by applying these three programmes are aiming at to managing change for sustainable development locally and globally by:

• Contributing to the strengthening of Civil Society as a vital force engaged in policy making and reconciliation processes
• Providing services for Management Systems and organizational development.
• Providing Vocational Training, Work Based Learning and Professional Development for a more effective workforce.
• Supporting economic development by research, analysis and policy recommendations.
• Establishing and improving systems to effectively utilize international and local projects