"Famagusta, as a means of building trust and a catalyst for change, is crucial in the process of achieving a peaceful, just and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem."
In January 2020, the bi-communal organization "Cyprus Academic Dialogue" (CAD), took the initiative to conduct a new project through the method of consultation between stakeholders, for Famagusta. The main goal was to bring together people from both communities to discuss the problems and future prospects of Famagusta. The Exhibition on "Famagusta Dialogues" has just been published.
The scientific person in charge of the project was Dr. Michalis S. Michael and funding from the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in Cyprus. The project brought together members of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot municipal authorities of Famagusta, as well as members of the municipal council of Deryneia, along with other stakeholders, with the aim of a constructive and mutually beneficial dialogue. It included two intra-Community and two inter-Community consultations.
The "Famagusta Dialogues" were the result of the finding that the views and concerns of the local communities of Famagusta seem to be ignored, misunderstood or misinterpreted, in the context of the collapse of the Cyprus negotiations. As a result, important and complex issues - on reunification, federation, bi-communal relations, local, regional and international relations, security and segregation - end up being addressed through a divisive dialogue focusing on competing majorities, the policy of inclusion and the legitimacy of the sense of belonging.
The aim of the Famagusta Dialogues was to offer participants the opportunity to engage with other local communities in Famagusta on issues of common interest, to improve understanding of the wider Famagusta area and to contribute to the development of effective Community proposals. One of the main questions of the discussions was whether the public policy of reunification and reconciliation is negatively affected by the official approaches to the ethnic conflict in Cyprus.
On the occasion of completing the study, the Cyprus Academic Dialogue / CAD would like to publicly thank all those who took part in the four activities, the three city councils for their support of the effort, the High Commissioner of Australia Mr. Samuel Beaver and the UNHCR staff, as well as the director of the FES Foundation, Professor Hubert Faustman and the staff of the Foundation, and finally the scientific director and author of the Exhibition, Dr. Michalis S. Michael, together with his two assistants.
Source: KYPE