Missing persons in Cyprus has been a painful subject for both Greek and Turkish Cypriots for many years. During the inter-communal conflict in the 1960s, many were killed whose remains were never recovered. As of 2006, “Some 1,500 Greek Cypriots and 500 Turkish Cypriots are officially registered as missing on Cyprus.”*

CFP alumni, Idil, Tayfun, Thalia, and Michael, with Desmond Tutu, Lakhdar Brahimi, and Jimmy Carter

The Cyprus Friendship Program (CFP) alumni are continuing to build on their experience with CFP to spread the message of building trust and understanding through interaction.

On Tuesday, February 8th, the official launching of The Elders** documentary, Cyprus: Digging the Past in Search of the Future was held at Chateau Status in Nicosia, Cyprus. The documentary features four of our CFP alumni, Idil, Tayfun, Thalia, and Michael, as they accompany three of the Elders, Desmond Tutu, Lakhdar Brahimi, and Jimmy Carter, on a journey to learn about the search for the remains of missing persons in Cyprus.

The documentary will air on television in Cyprus later this year.  We hope that this film will help Cypriots to realize their shared experiences and to open a dialogue that will foster mutual understanding. We are very proud to see CFP alumni making a positive impact on the future of the island.

Michael, one of the CFP alumni featured in the film, is blogging on The Elders website.  To read his article, Crossing borders with friendship, click here. To view a trailer for Cyprus: Digging the Past in Search of the Future on The Elders website, click here.

By Ciara Masterson


*http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6166560.stm

**The Elders are a group of eminent global leaders working to support peace building, to help address major causes of human suffering, and to promote the shared interests of humanity

On February 25, 2011   /   Articles, Cyprus Friendship Program