I have stopped believing that reunification can be achieved through negotiations of the two sides’leaders. It has been tried enough times in the past 50 years to convince us that it cannot succeed. The elected leaders are inevitably products of the existing political systems of the two sides and always have and always will have to think of their parties and their political survival. As is happening now,elections within the communities are either imminent or not so far in the future as to be ignored. To wait for a circumstance where the majority of political powers’interests on both sides converge is utopian. It hasn’t happened with our entry in the EU and the Turkish-cypriots taking the streets. It hasn’t happened with two “comrades”in power on both sides. Maybe it’s time to believe that it’s not going to happen.
Turkish intransigence is another major factor holding reunification back. It is true that Turkey has been much more constructive in the past decade but everything she has done until now has strictly been on paper. Famagusta is still being held hostage while not a single soldier has been withdrawn. To greek-cypriot eyes it is obvious that the turkish military is still very much in control of the situation in the north and we can only guess the militaty’s influence on Mr Talat’s negotiation strategy…Add to this Turkey’s insistence on the guarantee issue and you can understand how difficult it will be to “sell”a solution to the Greek-cypriots under these circumstances.
Another problem is the way the two communities and their leaders understand reunification. Are we all sharing a common vision or is reunification every Cypriot’s private utopia,quite irrelevant to what the rest of us envisage?
It’s time to think fresh about what we want and how we go about achieving it. Everything leads back to what has been said before in this forum:we need a true bicommunal political movement and not just that;one with a very clear vision of a united Cyprus and one strong enough to tip the political balance of power on both sides of the dividing line.
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What we need is to proceed with the creation of interratcion cores,where we -the people -create situations of actual “cohabitation”,common work,common interests and common efforts of finding solutions to any problems that mai arise.
***
Now…think of the following as a “miniature”of what could really happen …as a modicum of an effort with a minimal budget.
Radio podcasts have been around the Net for some time now. If one overcomes or fulfills the demand for paying rights (broadvccasting music)…we could create a bi-communal Internet Radio Broadcast thingy…(see Radio Casbah)
It could involve TC and GC who share a belief in the need for reunification,promotion of activities that can be considered as helpful to the overall cause,discussions upon various topics e.g. on how we can make reunification a reality regardless of the “political climate”and the current trends and worries in the minds of our political leaders,on how to further establish common interests among us,etc.
We could later enrich such an effort with video clips,texts,photos,etc. which we can then broadcast via a Blog,
Recording mp3 devices and video is not that expensive anymore and the know-how can be obtained.
“Another problem is the way the two communities and their leaders understand reunification. Are we all sharing a common vision or is reunification every Cypriot’s private utopia,quite irrelevant to what the rest of us envisage?”
Interesting thoughts. I too am very interested on how other Cypriots –and especially how Turkish Cypriots –perceive “reunification”. Perhaps we should even all write a short paragraph on this one just to clarify our own minds.
@the Idiot Mouflon:
Epanenosi on steroids! I like it!
What I have in mind is a proper political party,but your idea would be a good beginning,a “miniature”as you say.
Pavlo
Im glad that u,and other people start stating the obvious…
I’m glad that u link this devasting realization with a proposition on a new hope…
I dont believe in any political parties and “formulas”–old or new –mostly they are to be blamed that we are here today…
I like the aspect of Mufllon’s suggestion…Unless people really want it,and committe themselves to do it,in a small group/collectivity but with a range of activity that can reach out to the whole island,and become effective or an example of cooperation and a media of a new mindset,we cannot envision any common future together…
Another suggestion,on the same track,could be small events spread across the island (from a small group of ppl) with mini-core-concepts and ideas each time e.g. how hatred speech is poluting our ability to consive a common future and what can be introduced instead…(the events can me door to door leaflets,“kafene”talks,small dramatiazation [like the ones they use in Africa
] –Anything to pass across important messages with effective mini-doses
writing the above and knowing that genuine ideas being too transparent from the very beginning and open to the scrutiny of ALL can be wither quicker,i suggest a meeting with those ppl that want to share and be part of it
Political parties do carry a lot of “baggage”in Cyprus and have been the culprits of many failed attempts to bring peace. An enormous effort is necessary to beat them at their own game but I believe it is the only road. Cypriot society is a fully developed western society where the big media rule. Unless you become an official political entity and get a measurable result at elections you will get zero exposure on the media and will have extremely limited ways to get your message across.
I am very pleased to see suggestion and fresh ideas coming out of this. I admit I was getting quite bored with the repetitive discussions on what politicians said or did or should have done and all that!
Rose I will contact you when a meeting will be set up
they will not let it happen..
they are older and “wiser”
we need to be NEW
so they wont recognise us
What new,what different,what alternative,other than the lilliputian alternative leftist and marginal groups?
“It’s time to think fresh about what we want and how we go about achieving it. Everything leads back to what has been said before in this forum:we need a true bicommunal political movement and not just that;one with a very clear vision of a united Cyprus and one strong enough to tip the political balance of power on both sides of the dividing line.”
I fully agree with the above and I think we can make it possible,if only without any colours of right or left…
There are so many bicommunal organizations. Maybe it is time to put them all together and let them speak with one voice. This blog could be the main point of contact to get the movement started.
***
The idea of the bicommunal internet radio is great…
Let me parachute in and out really quick and say
1. repeat my position that when Turkey is ready the Cyprus problem will be solved. I believe the day will come and it may be sooner than later. We need to keep negotiating so they tell us when they are ready.
2. A political movement like a party will fail in line with what Aceras is saying
3. I will support a group that will facilate intertangling of the lives of the two communities,without presumptions for the content of the final solution. Just mixing people up to the extend that occupation allows.
For instance if I had a list on the internet of T/C establishements in T/C land,I would support them with my business. If it’s a restaurant in Kioneli I will go eat there and spend my money and say hello to the owner.
If a group of T/C old ladies wants to visit Troodos I could volunteer drive them there.
If a T/C professional needs help with job advertisements in Greek I could help translate in english for them and help with their resume.
If a G/C wants help to negotiate with a T/C or settler to let them get inside their house to see it a G/C and T/C friend through translating can help them to achieve that.
If a group of friends get together to remove the weeds in the cemetary in paramali and Batyli I may join to help.
Really I am talking about a clearinghouse organization that can facilitate activities up to the point that individuals feels comfortable with. No pressure to accept rotating presidency or continuation of the guarantees. None of that just mixing up.
Facilitating activities from having a sandwich or not at Mr Hasan’s to helping finding a bone marrow donor.
Let me tell you that when I went to the gay club in Larnaca most of groups of friends I was introduced had one or two T/c present having fun. i was really happy to see that.
Ok I m going back to work and I apologise for dropping in like this.
1. I think that the concerns about the prospects are understandable at this moment. But this is based on a false premise as to where the negotiations are at the moment. By following the news and what the political intriguacies of the political paties are doing one is lead to the conclusion of Pavlos. I dont’think he is stating the obvious but he is stating the pessimism prevelant amongst many. i am not one of them,evn though i see the difficulties before us. The negotiations are still on;so there may be misgivings as to the chances of concluding positively but to kill them off before they are over is like committing suicide out of fear that we will die.
2.As for the arguments about “Turkish intransigence as another major factor holding reunification back”,I think that we must stop and think beyond such general and stereotypical shemas which are reproduced by the political elites and the media. Turkey is not a monolith;it is riddled with contradictions within and there are vital changes. Of course Pavlos recognises that “it is true that Turkey has been much more constructive in the past decade”but rpeates the banal statemets of the kind that “everything she has done until now has strictly been on paper”. The reality is far mosre sophisticated than that and as with 2004,the G/C elites (political,media and public) are likely to be taken by suprise when they see Ankara making moves they don’t expect. I am not saying Turkey willstop considering what is their ‘national intest;what I am saying the definition of their ‘national intest’,particurly as regards Turkey’s intesrs in Cyprus is something that is being debated over a number of years now and it is not as fixed as we assume. It is tieds to the wider isses of trannsformation in Turkey,the region,accession to the EU,integration in the wqorld system,the instability in the midddle east,the wider geopolitical ans socio-economic transformations in a world in a state of turbulence and and where the US hgemony is being questioned etc. So I dont see how we can parrot the same tune as our friend Κυπρολεων.
3. Of course Pavlos states his resolution on getting a movement going is something I fully endorse and counteracts the pessimism about the negotiations.
[On the case of Rape of Lucritia]:
….”I was curious about why it is that so many of us fall prey to politicians underhanded schemes and false promises. So much so that systematically many of us go to the polls and vote against ourselves. I think it is because the average woman and man is not deceptive nor full of guile and so believes what others say;their unstain’d thoughts cannot imagine the chicanery of psychopaths who deceive and manipulate.”
more here…
http://cigognenews.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-rape-of-lucretia.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+arthurjanov+(Arthur+Janov's+reflections+on+the+Human+Condition)
Kyproleon,
liberating,inspiring and empowering suggestions. Seems to me that they can only be made by someone who is not undergoing the daily infusion of poison that we are being subjected in this blessed island.
I also agree with Trim that we are getting nearer to a possible signed solution. As far as an unsigned solution is concerned (legalisation of the staus quo) we are already in that process since 2003.
@Trim:
Stating the obvious facts about Turkey is not stereotypical. Indeed Turkey is undergoing huge internal changes and Turkey is certainly not the only culprit,but we cannot just ignore basic facts of our problem. How can you look beyond if you turn a blind eye to the obvious?
As for the settlement,remember that a majority on both sides is needed to ratify it. Even if we have a draft solution how are Cypriots going to vote? The TCs are ready to elect a maximalist right-winger,are they ready to vote Yes for a settlement? On the GC side we see a rift forming between the two big parties and without both of them in the same boat a Yes is unattainable. Meanwhile the people are in the dark. Mr Christofias’announcement of a information campaign on federal systems of government has yet to be realized in the face of fierce opposition by rejectionists and it does not look like he has the power (!) or will to go forward with it.
http://nekatomata.blogspot.com/2010/03/blog-post.html
The English School Nicosia is advertising 3 vacancies for September 2010:
HEAD OF ICT DEPARTMENT (Full-time) (must be eligible to be a member of ETEK)
HEAD OF TURKISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT (Full-time)
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (Part-Time)
deadline 12th March)
http://www.englishschool.ac.cy/vacancies.html
How are the above 2 posts related to what is being discussed under this thread?
The ideas proposed are all very interesting. I think we should really start getting out of the internet and more into society. The challenge is to not be what Aceras said:marginal! How do we form a movement large enough to make a difference? Is it even possible given the apathy of most of the population? Which brings us back to the beginning:is apathy an indicator to what Cypriots want,or are simply too used to? Is reunification anything more than words?
@Pavlos:
“is apathy an indicator to what Cypriots want,or are simply too used to? Is reunification anything more than words?”
Imho the “apathy”of many Cypriots is related to the fact that they are not convinvced on how their island will be a better place to live on in the event of a solution.
Of course they are not convinced and no one is trying to convince them. All we hear about is “painful compromises”and what “our side is conceding”and so on. The very volabulary of the solution to the problem is problematic. No one bothers to inform us about how Cyprus will be a better place ,do our politicians even believe that? There are more unpleasant questions to ask:if Cypriots are content living in a divided island what does that say about our societies? Why do we need to be convinced that a united Cyprus will be a better place?
Forget parties and “marginal groups”. They have much in common. They both have “stars”and “protagonists”who benefit by dominating all communications and imposing their preferred modes of action (or inaction) within and upon their “crowds”.
Furthermore,parliamentary parties depend on media coverage and that makes them vulnerable. If some of their members raise an issue that the Media and the large-scale economic interests find “disturbing”…then they get black-listed or overriden by those who are more willing to keep the agenda within the preferred parameters.
Marginal groups thus far have been prone to dogmatism and self-limiting behaviors (rallies,protests,gathering signatures). They are like smaller castles that maintain the -lesser -King’s or Queen’s necessary entourage.
If they “succeed”,they do so by bringing an issue to the limelight…only for that issue to be “treated”by the spin-doctors of the parliamentary and Media kind. When they fail…they do so in a manner which turns the very issue of their concern and any attempt to promote such concern into material for bitter jokes and the mockery of the masses.
***
The attempt for an Internet Radio thingy could be useful not only for purposes of promoting ideas such as Interaction Cores” or the utilization of the area around Ledras …
…but mostly because it would actually bring GC and TC together in a joint effort. This carries the double impact of “promoting the idea”while at the same time “realizing the idea”itself.
I wish some of the TC friends who in the past participated in this blog -either through posts or comments -would speak up and express their opinion with regards to this idea. If “they”are still out there.
You do not need large parliamentarist support or marginal group mentality for this.
What’s mostly needed is …crazy people.
People willing to do this because everyone says it cannot be done.
all it takes is a good starting idea
and it seems there is one
@Pavlos:
“Why do we need to be convinced that a united Cyprus will be a better place?”
If the people are not convinced that a united Cyprus (whatever that means) will be a better place to live in,then they will never vote for any solution plan (let alone come to terms with it).
@Othellos:
That’s was not the spirit of my comment. I mean that it should be natural,a matter of course,self-evident for Cypriots that a united Cyprus would be better. It is just sad that there is such a need to convince them…
I understand that this was not the spirit of what you wrote earlier. Nevertheless the fact remains that people will always need to be convinced about something in order to accept it.
It is almost certain that any solution plan that is presented to the Cypriot people in the future,will create a lot of questions,uncertenties and worries like it happened back in 2004. One of the reasons that led to the rejection of the “Annan”plan was the fact that many peoples questions and worries remained unanswered. Imho common sense dictates that next time (if there will ever be one) some things will have to be done in a different way.
the worries deriving from Anan plan were well planned (before,during and after the negotiation period,calminating to tassos’statement:“δεν παρέλαβα κρατος για να παραδώσω κοινότητα”
the spirit of this post is inviting new thoughts
the old ones we know well enough (and it seems no one will ever convince the other)
What better way to convince people with regards to “being together”than actually being together?
An Utopia remains one only for as long as you are unable to present it to the people.
Through acts of working together,creating common interests and jointly deciding how to go about problem solving …you are not merely saying “it would be better for us if we reunite”…
…but you are actually showing them “here…we are already in a process of reuniting…this is how it’s done…this is how we overcome problems…this is how we work together…this is how we allow each other autonomy…this is how we trust eac other…this is how are and how we all could be”.
“…how we are and how we all could be.”
That’s what you get for trying to type fast.
“The idea of the bicommunal internet radio is great…”
It is indeed.
To be honest with you friends,i had something similar in my mind since i arrived in Cyprus 8 years ago but never talked about it with anyone ‘xept my good friend Mihalis Mihail a long time ago.
A bicommunal radio (internet or not) accessed from all Cypriots all over Cyprus is a great tool for cultivating communication. Therefore it must be a real Radio concept away from didactic ways and authoritative stereotypes. It has to be a Radio that happens to be bicommunal and not a Bicommunal effort that happens to be…radio.
If it’s a Radio above all,then it can carry and transmit joy ,real spirit and the ideas of sharing everything in a deep and genuine way.
I thing the idea has a great potential and I d love to share my thoughts and experience with you,if you believe there is something useful in there.
@Citizen Pie (Politis Pittas)
I suppose you read my first comment as well.
( “…It could involve TC and GC who share a belief in the need for reunification,promotion of activities that can be considered as helpful to the overall cause,discussions upon various topics e.g. on how we can make reunification a reality regardless of the “political climate” and the current trends and worries in the minds of our political leaders,on how to further establish common interests among us,etc.
We could later enrich such an effort with video clips,texts,photos,etc. which we can then broadcast via a Blog…”)
I think that for starters it should have the form of pre-recorded half-hour or 45 min. shows to be broadcasted via Internet every 7 days. Just to see how it goes.
I also believe that the Internet Podcast Radio (like Radio Casbah) format is the most advantageous.
What can you tell us about the issue of paying rights for broadcasting puproses? Are you familiar with the relevant laws?
Mouflon there is not much I know in legal fields. I think your “strategy” is correct. Honestly now,I d rather talk for these things in a real meeting in a café for example I believe internet is a great place to throw ideas,but to discus them seriously we need to meet.
Any way,for the royalties I can ask my friends in Radio Bubble in Athens. Radio Bubble is a quite successful Greek Internet Radio and I can also ask e-lawyer (Vasilis Sotiropoulos) who is specialised in the legal framework of every internet activity. Shall I proceed?
Please do.
@the Idiot Mouflon:
Ok!
I just had a long chat with the e lawyer. He says that Radio Bubble pays an annual fee something around 650 for royalties at AEPI ( http://www.aepi.gr/ ). Anyway the fact is that there is no any difference for Internet /postcad radios,the principal is the very same.
I don’t know what radios in Cyprus do,I mean where they pay rights. Is there a similar organization here in Cyprus? Do they also have an agreement with AEPI (I doubt). Do you know or shall I learn through Astra Radio?
Try to learn as much as you can.
I suspect that the amount is also relevant to the audience (number of people listening / ratings).
If that is the case …in such an effort you will also need solid documentation of things such as viewers/ visitors. That translates to a “counter”service that is considered credible and can be verified.
I also suspect that the law in Cyprus either lacks provisions with regards to the Internet or has rather vagues ones.
I will also do some investigating myself.
I ‘ve contacted a friend in the Journalists’union and he promised to ask around and inform me.
One authority that certainly should know about paying rights with regards to radio and television is the Cyprus Radio Television Authority. If you know someone in there…ask.
Furtthermore,the issue of rating / visitors seems to be quite important.
We shall see.
There are other even more basic considerations like language.
English is the obvious choice but it still does exclude a large part of the population. If we are talking podcasts of course we could offer a choice of language.
Have a look here…Maybe there are some ways of co-operation
http://www.talkoftheisland.com/
I have recently received an email about this programm…
The main focus should be to get TC and GC to work together.
That is what the effort should strive to demonstrate.
Thus,in a common broadcast the preferred language ought to be english.
If it seems to work…bi-lingual broadcasts in both Greek and Turkish can be the next step.
I strongly favor the pre-recorded,podcast format. Radio Casbah (see link above) is done with both a pre-recorded part (used when there are no live DJs) and a live one.
I think the effort should strive for a minimal budget…avoiding the need for external funding and thus…dependencies.
I also think that video clips of the whole process could help the effort realize its objective target,that is,to demonstrate “being together”rather than just talking about it.
About “talk of the island”…
“…Project coordinators of the “Cyprus 2015” initiative were guests of the “Voice of The Island Youth” program…
The results of the latest public research:Cypriots want a solution…69% of Greek Cypriots and 42% of Turkish Cypriots want the peace process to come to an end with an adequate solution…”
“…New financial support will be provided to bi-communal projects…
“The Management Centre” and “NGO Support Centre” have launched their “Small Grant Scheme”…
A call to youths:If you have an idea,project or planned activity,make your applications to this grant…”
***
I do not know if they receive any funds from the aforementioned organizations or UNDP.
I personally would avoid any affiliation with such entities. Don’t get me wrong…but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
The financial support is only one aspect of it.
I thought you would find there some useful information about bicommunal broadcasting in general…
Never mind…
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s listen to “talk of the island”for a few days and see what they have to say. After all they might cover what we have talked about to a certain extent,maybe even more
There have been other great ideas. What Kyproleon mentioned could be organized. Groups of people could undertake to clean up churches and cemetaries,reach out to people by organizing excursions and gatherings in places that are traditionally “monocultural”.
Some efforts are already underway:The Rooftop Theater is doing good work and Mahallas is also offering a forum for integration.
Getting everyone together might just become something big enough to be noticed!
As for funding etc I belive the key is transparency. Everything should be out in the open and recorded to the last euro. After all Moufflon,the nationalist circles will spit on these efforts regardless of funding or affiliations. The important thing is to do things,if we start thinking and deciding according to what “they”will say,we have lost already…
Add mosques to the second paragraph and any other locations or monuments that need it…
Check this video out guys. It’s pretty relevant I think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDhjYCxQjzM
From my point of view,the problem with KyproLeon’s proposals is that they do not achieve or encourage actual living &working together,they do not really involve common interests (financial,creative-cultural or other) and in fact they sometimes seem to further establishe the “passing by”mentality.
For example,visiting Troodos or an occupied house and removing weeds are actions of a temprorary nature.
I am talking about more permanent situations.
Translating job advertisments is somehow more on the right track…but I would prefer the idea of a permanent establishment -preferably in the middle of Nicosia -employing both GC and TC,one that could perform the same task while at the same time being itself an example of “working together”for all to see.
Are you getting the picture now?
The nature of actions that I have in mind should not involve anything that is of a temporary nature. The purpose is to make “being together”a living,breathing example of behavior…something which I suspect scares the crap out of the naysayers.
As for the youtube video suggested by Pavlos…I find it kind of dissapointing because the people involved do not seem to understand how discussions about History and Education can become a boomerang. Such discussions have already been used by the ones opposing reunification in order to further the distance between GC and TC.
***
One last thing. In the case of an Internet Radio thingy…if rights are to be paid…this could be used by the naysayers to create problems.
On the TC side…they may say,“why pay the GC authority and not the TC one?”
My answer would be…that such payments are not a Greek or Turkish thing…it’s a European / Worldwide demand…and to ask someone to pay the corresponding organizations via two “authorities”instead of just one is against the very principles of Europe.
(European Directives and Law are something that could be used as a shield for a number of similar activities).
To raise such an issue might in fact backfire because it will raise the issue of which authority receives recognition…and I suspect that only the side that already enjoys recognition will want to even touch it.
On the GC side…if one fullfils the demand for paying right,the naysayers can do absolutely nothing. The money eventually end up in the artists’hands,so no real benefit other than “recognition”can be achieved for GC.
Furthermore,we -the GC part of the whole thingy,provided it becomes a reality -could assume the burdon of paying up. That way no one can accuse them of “giving money to the Greeks”.
Idiot Mouflon,
You can have an organization in the middle of Nicosia with people working together to facilitate general interaction between people and groups that ordinarily they wouldn’t join groups and associations. like the vast majority of people they get suspicious of political organizations. I personally never participate in “activist”things.
Gather a group of volunteers from both communities (in the middle of Nicosia) to facilitate people of all walks of life. Stay away from politics,religion and activism pro or against specific components of a future solution and away from foreign financing. Quietly facilate human scale interaction with no other agenda. It could be business transactions,it could be just a visit to a house it could be permanent employement. It could be help with official documents,legal advise or just giving directions somewhere or explain what a sign says or means. It could also be what movie plays when or arrange a basketball game between 6-8 guys. No Edon and no Elam involved,just guys playing basketball. The sole agenda would be intertangling of people.
What you need is good volunteers that some can drive,some can speak english/greek/turkish. Sensitive people are needed that treat others with respect and have service oriented spirit.
The radio station could be one project,I was always appaled that news in Cyprus never mentioned for instance accidental deaths or fires in the occupied areas. Common advertising in all 50 states in the US is a powerfull social glue.
I already stated my “stay away”clauses.
“…I personally would avoid any affiliation with such entities. Don’t get me wrong… but I’d rather be safe than sorry…”
“…Forget parties and “marginal groups”. They have much in common. They both have “stars” and “protagonists” who benefit by dominating all communications and imposing their preferred modes of action (or inaction) within and upon their “crowds”.
Furthermore,parliamentary parties depend on media coverage and that makes them vulnerable. If some of their …”
***
“…Stay away from politics,religion and activism pro or against specific components of a future solution and away from foreign financing…”
One little problem there. “Specific components of a future solution”.
Hmmm. Nope.
In some cases that might be useful. If for example a group of TC and GC work together…and at some point they need to make a decision…a process of cross-voting might come in handy.
Furthermore,joint problem solving and all the relevat processes are a natural part of “being together”. I would not exclude those just for the sake of “not resembling a proposed BBF”.
***
I do not agree with the “quietly”part either. I want the naysayers to hear this as loudly as possible.
***
Pardon me…but I would have to go with a basketball game between six or eight gals. Sorry.
the moment we start talking about “practicalities”
we kill new ideas
(especially the ones that are known to ppl that have worked with NGO or bicommunal groups)
what about to think outside the box?
internet radio?
using the new technology making an interactive media that needs a PC a good software,tones of cds (respecting intellectual rights –visas do buy from all coutries and pay to all countries especially international group)
an interactive tool with dialogue and article in real time and also an archive as anyother internet website
IF the idea is the coming together,any room,in any place originally,but LOTS of meetings with the REAL people that will peopled the radio would be needed…
what about its music,themes,
how the “epxeriment”would reflect the real work behind?
and btw where are the T/c to share views??
we can make a site or facebook page asking this…people and ideas for a good begining…
i have some PCs to offer if needed and 100euro donation
Let me give an example.
A T/C artist has a gallery opening. She calls the interaction group and says Saturday March 27 I have a gallery opening.
The group assigns the task to specific volunteers of getting G/C and T/C to the gallery opening. Through lists,facebook,email databases and press releases the group informs the public that there is this event and offers for people that have no means of getting there to drive them,or give directions. At the gallery opening the group provides volunteers for translating,the volunteers provide services for helping people exchanging contact information if they wish and also to do a bit of a mixer by introducing people to one another if the people wish that.
The event will not be baptised bicommunal,peace initiative,political action. It will be a “Gallery Opening”for people that go to gallery openings to look at art and talk about the choice of colors. That’s it
If I was a Lenin-ist I would say that Kyproleon is an agent provocateur.
Thank Carl Sagan,I am not.
A gallery exhibitiom,a concert,a seminar…all these are passing things…fleeting.
We already do that.
We pass by each other in Ledra’s crossing.
We do it in the popular markets and the fancy shops for the nouveau riche.
Screw that.
I would like to see something of a more permanenet nature that makes itself an example of actual co-habitation,working together,having common interests,jointly solving problems,turning re-unification into a reality OUTSIDE the “political realities”.
I have no other way of explaining this.
BE IT instead of talking about it.
ok…..
well,it is not ok…
I still remember my surprise,12 years ago,when i got an invitation to join some friends in Pyla to have coffe together with turkish cypriots..I had no idea that there was such opportunity. And this is all we had at the time…People ARE doing alot –people that want to do things that is –and today we can speak of cooperation because of some people DOING what they can…at the time they can…
we cannot put a measurement to “how much”or “how good”is it,because life doesnt work like this!
and i know a supermarket owner,that IS working with TC because he believes it…And he will continue doing it either Demetris will completely screw up negotiations or not…
Let alone that any experiment of cooperation will prove first to GC that it is difficult to cooperate amongst ourselves let alone TC!
So,such a good idea,it can be a spark…And many things could be included in it…
You see,I was always working for inclusion,but i noticed that most of us start from an opposite tactic;excluding first…
(and to my book exclusion comes later when u actually build it and it is related to what u dont want to see in it)
At the stage of ideas,lets not judge so quickly each other…
ofcourse,it is just a suggestion!
BTW if anyone wants the research on Cooperatives and what is possiblein Cyprus just email me
I agree with Rose on this. Can you please make your suggestion clearer? I’m a bit confused…
Something of a permanent nature that I.M. suggests will need money,maybe even full-time staff! How do you get the money if you refuse funding?
I think the video was great. Firstly we cannot ignore history;that would be a boomerang if anything! We need to come to terms with our history and start looking at it from the right perspective. The nationalists will use history and cooking and knitting and selling lotteries against reunification. We should not shy away from what has to be done lest some idiot will call you a traitor!
Secondly,rebuilding that house on the dead zone carries enough messages to Cypriots to last for a few weeks…
another idea on funding is to be free from any attachements and there is nothing wrong with it…but it need more work…
I have a list of private sector actors that support communication and cooperation between cypriots…and it is called “advertisement”(the list is not a secret,im sure u already know yourselves ppl supporting such operations)
But we can start small…No need to build Rome in one day
Sure.
I wonder if anything will be able to escape the election-frenzy that’s right around the corner.
So what’s up with that meeting?