UNFICYP, partners launch first inter-communal women’s walk of 2018

 
9 May 2018

UNFICYP, partners launch first inter-communal women’s walk of 2018

On 5 May 2018, UNFICYP, in collaboration with the Centre for Visual Arts and Research, the Embassy of Netherlands, and the Consulate of Canada, organized an inter-communal women’s walk in Nicosia, followed by a discussion on women’s concerns, perspectives and priorities related to the ongoing peace process across Cyprus.

Elizabeth Spehar, UNFICYP Head of Mission and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Cyprus, together with Cypriots and members of the international community, participated in a multicultural tour of north Nicosia, following which participants congregated for an informal discussion on their common future in Cyprus at the Centre for Visual Arts and Research.

The interaction was kicked off by the Centre for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD), who provided an overview of their findings from island-wide research, targeting both women and men, on gender dimensions of building resilient communities in Cyprus.

The objective of the event was to bring women together and enable them to mobilize around issues of shared concern, as women across the world often experience peace and security issues differently from men.

For her part, SRSG Spehar expressed appreciation for the diverse gathering of women who actively participated in the walk and urged them to speak frankly with one another regarding issues of mutual concern. “As women, the Cyprus issue and your common future on this island, is unique,” she stated.

This is the first inter-communal women’s walk of 2018, while similar initiatives have been held in previous years and will be continued in the future.