Cypriots Give Peace a Chance

Peace-loving Cypriots from both sides of the divide joined together Monday evening in a call for solution to the Cyprus problem, sending a powerful message to their leaders who are having a crucial meeting in Switzerland.

Members of both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities showed up at Cetinkaya pitch near the Ledra Palace Hotel, in an initiative of Peo workers union in the south and the Solution and Peace Platform in the north.

The event is filled with live music and people are posting live video feeds on social media.

Platform representative Okan Dagli told reporters the happening aimed to support the efforts underway to solve the Cyprus problem.

Some 49 organisations belong to the Platform, including worker unions and political parties and a total of 120 organisations have signed a joint PEO- the Solution and Peace Platform declaration on the occasion.

PEO called on people on both side of the divide to go along and show their support.

“At this critical phase of the negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem, with the hope that this time we have a successful outcome, the prospect of a solution, peace, and reunification of the country and its people is in sight,” organisers said in a recent announcement.

Despite political affiliations on the part of the organisers, people from different sides of the political spectrum are rumoured to be attending the event.

This is the second time a massive show of support for peace takes place. Last time, in 2004, Turkish Cypriots took to the streets in support of the Annan plan which would reunify the island. But there was less enthusiasm in the south when Greek Cypriots rejected the plan.

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