Call for Rotary Support of the Cyprus Peace Education Initiative
The Cyprus Peace Education Initiative is a Rotary led project that brings together Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot academics and educators in a series of facilitated workshops for the purpose of addressing the challenges facing the respective educational systems in ethnically divided Cyprus and developing practical, actionable proposals to bridge those divisions.
Phase I completed
Phase I of the Cyprus Peace Education Initiative has already been completed. It took place in 2018, in the UN buffer zone, in the capital city of Nicosia. Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot academics and educators were brought together for a series of workshops addressing the challenges facing their respective educational systems and obstacles to inter-communal cooperation. See a brief report on Phase I of the Cyprus Peace Education Initiative here.
Phase II in planning stage
Phase II will build on the outcomes of Phase I by bringing together Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot educators and academics to work collaboratively, in bi-communal teams, around key areas of education. They will research, design and develop actionable proposals for bridging across the Cypriot ethnic divide, to render the education systems of the Greek and Turkish communities receptive to mutual understanding, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. The task is envisioned as a contribution to the younger generation of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who deserve a future of peaceful and democratic coexistence, as citizens of the 21st century.
Leadership team
The Cyprus Peace Education Initiative is led by Rotarian Harry Anastasiou, Professor of International Peace and Conflict Studies at PSU, Rotarian Birol Yesilada, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Hatfield School of Government at PSU, and Rotarian Reem Ghunaim, Executive Director of the Rotarian Action Group for Peace.
A call to action
The Rotary leaders of this peace project are calling on Rotary clubs and individual Rotarians to contribute toward funding the Cyprus Peace Education Initiative. A Global Grant application is currently being prepared for this project, which requires contributions from Rotary clubs.
Support and contribute
We request that Rotary clubs allocate $1,000-2,000 from their 2019-2020 budget in support of the Cyprus Peace Education Initiative Phase II. Individual Rotarians may also contribute.
For any further information or inquiries contact Dr. Harry Anastasiou at [email protected] or send inquiries to [email protected]