Six Cypriot teenagers, divided by their island's long-standing conflict, spent four weeks in Tyler this summer as part of a peace and reconciliation program. The Cyprus Friendships for Peace (CFP) effort brought Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking Cypriots together in East Texas to foster relationships across communal lines that have shaped their homeland for generations. The students arrived in July and departed in early August, concluding their month-long stay with host families in Tyler.
TheThe teenagers were among 20 students selected from approximately 60 applicants for the program's second year in the United States, with groups also visiting Oregon and North Carolina. Participants were paired with someone from the opposing community. They did not choose their destination or their roommate, and were not allowed to bring their phones. Danae Aristodemou noted that the lack of distractions was key "for us to bond as much as we could with our pair."
Derin Afşaroğlu, a Turkish-speaking Cypriot, was paired with Michael Tsianakkas, a Greek-speaking Cypriot. Before their arrival in the U.S., their families shared a dinner, a significant event given Derin's reflection that "We were raised to see each other as enemies." In Tyler, they shared a room, creating a close bond that transcended inherited assumptions. Derin said he participated in the program partly to challenge his grandmother's deep mistrust of the other community, which stemmed from a near-fatal shooting during past conflicts.
Cyprus is a Mediterranean island where Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking communities have been separated for decades by a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone. The program's premise is that genuine peace requires individuals from these communities to know one another. Michael Tsianakkas observed that even removing physical borders would not immediately ensure readiness for communities to live together, underscoring the importance of individual connections.
The teenagers acknowledge they are not politicians and do not claim to solve Cyprus's decades-old political dispute. Instead, they believe personal relationships, such as Derin and Michael's families having dinner every Saturday, are foundational for building community. Selay Vildan Dayıoğlu suggested that such individual friendships could eventually influence broader political attitudes, creating a "mass opinion" that decision-makers cannot ignore. Bulut Altınçoy noted that younger Cypriots tend to be more open-minded about reunification, despite the influence of external powers like Turkey in their politics. Selay emphasized that for meaningful reconciliation, both communities must acknowledge mutual suffering and prioritize friendship and love. The CFP program’s first year involves a week-long camp in Cyprus’s Troodos Mountains before participants can apply for the U.S. trip.
