A strong peace message from Cypriot Civil Society: “Civil Society Matters”
The “ENGAGE- Do your part for Peace” project hosted 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” was held on Friday, 7th October 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 Özersay, as well as the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN, Ms. Lisa Buttenheim also attended the event. Ambassadors from foreign missions, the High Commissioner of the UK and members of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Civil Society as well as media representatives also attended 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 has kept 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 conferred 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. The projects “Sharing an Island” implemented by the Informal Film Initiative, “Tours for Peace” implemented by POST Research Institute and the “Bicommunal Film Festival” implemented by the NGO Culture in Action and the Platform of G/C and T/C Teachers “United Cyprus” were selected as the “most successful projects” and were awarded the special ENGAGE CSO Award 2011.
Screenings of audiovisual material also took place at the event to 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 focused on mapping Civil Society in both communities.
The event began with a short drumming session by the group Druminspire and concluded 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.
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.
.