Last Saturday, the bicommunal Peace Works Children & Youth Festival held in the buffer zone showcased the great solidarity between civil society organisations as well as groups engaged in peacebuilding and peace education in Cyprus.

Supported by UNFICYP’s Civil Affairs Section and funded by the European Union, the event, the third of three linked activities involving Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot children, was the first of its kind, and involved children and teens aged between 6 and 18 from both communities.

Activities involved music, theatre, arts and crafts, sports and workshops, among others.

All the entertainment and specially designed activities were implemented by volunteers who shared their creative and fun ideas with children, youth and grown-ups. Hundreds of children and young people from various cities across the divide came to the festival in Nicosia and filled the buffer zone with joy, laughter, colours and beauty of their togetherness in diversity.

The meaningful initiative of teachers and parents – supporting a culture of peace for their children – has a big role in planting the seeds of peace on the island. The great interest shown by the public in the festival is further evidence that Peace actually Works, and young people who had fun together all day last Saturday in the festival are the real guarantors of the peace in Cyprus.Activities involved music, theatre, arts and crafts, sports and workshops, among others.

All the entertainment and specially designed activities were implemented by volunteers who shared their creative and fun ideas with children, youth and grown-ups. Hundreds of children and young people from various cities across the divide came to the festival in Nicosia and filled the buffer zone with joy, laughter, colours and beauty of their togetherness in diversity.

The meaningful initiative of teachers and parents – supporting a culture of peace for their children – has a big role in planting the seeds of peace on the island. The great interest shown by the public in the festival is further evidence that Peace actually Works, and young people who had fun together all day last Saturday in the festival are the real guarantors of the peace in Cyprus.