[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]The island of Cyprus is divided. According to Wikipedia, on July 15, 1974, a coup d’état was staged by Greek Cypriot nationalists and elements of the Greek military junta in an attempt at enosis, the incorporation of Cyprus into Greece. This action precipitated the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, which led to the capture of the present-day territory of Northern Cyprus the following month and the displacement of over 150,000 Greek Cypriots and 50,000 Turkish Cypriots. A separate Turkish Cypriot State in the north was established in 1983.
The Republic of Cyprus is de facto partitioned into two main parts; the area under the effective control of the Republic, comprising about 59% of the island’s area, and the north, administered by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, covering about 36% of the island’s area.
Most Cypriots born after 1974 have grown up with no contact with Cypriots on the other side of the divide. Inhabitants of the island at odds and racism and mistrust have long been part of daily life on the third-largest island in the Mediterranean. The Cyprus Friendship Program is a non-profit organization that aims to break the cycle of fear and distrust. The Program pairs teens from the Turkish-speaking north with teens from the Greek-speaking south to pursue lasting friendships that will help bridge the division of their country, promote cross-cultural understanding, and develop leaders who can foster peace in Cyprus.
Our guests today are members of a group of Cypriot teens spending 4 weeks in the Portland area as part of a one-year process during which they pursue a curriculum of team building, leadership, and presentation skills. As prospective participants of the program, their first task is to learn about each other over a weekend. Then the pairing process begins. The teens decide who their partner will be. Part of the year-long commitment is to advocate for peace in a sometimes hostile and unforgiving environment.
Jack Bradley, a member of Portland Pearl Rotary Club and the coordinator for CFP in Oregon and SW Washington, was the first host family for CFP in our area. Jack has a master’s degree in conflict resolution and has traveled to Cyprus three times. He spoke about the importance of host families as a major limiting factor for the program.
Jack first asked each of the teens to introduce themselves then posed a series of questions. One by one, they spoke of the importance of trust, love, and communication, recognizing that each side of each pair comes from a different culture, language, and religion. One teen talked about the meaning of forgiveness, comparing the process of using courage, commitment, and strength to climbing a mountain. You have to “get out of your comfort zone, grab onto the rocks, and don’t quit.” In response to a question about the meaning of peace, one teen responded that it is more than a cessation of violence; it means respect, acknowledging differences, and playing together. “It means being Cypriot instead of Turkish or Greek.”
During Q&A, Rotarians asked if the teens would be able to visit each other after their year is through. One young man responded that it is difficult because there is a border crossing, but formal gatherings of the group are planned and he will continue to advocate for peace in his community.
When the program began in 2009, only 40 teen teams applied. This year 250 teams applied. Those pairs not chosen for the formal program are forming their own CFP group. Currently, six states participate in CFP: Georgia, Maryland/DC, New Hampshire, Oregon, Washington, and Virginia/DC.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]