THE STATE OF CREPE IN CYPRUS

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THE STATE OFCRE/PEIN CYPRUS

• Ali YAMAN
• Education Training Coordinator Cyprus Mediation
  Association.

Lets give a hand for PEACE
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CYPRUS

• Birth place of Aphrodite
• the Goddess of love and beauty.

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Cyprus

• Gate way ...

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• GOALS
• To spread the WIN WIN philosophy of mediation
  throughout Cyprus.
• To provide mediation services to all levels of
  the community.
• To develop projects to benefit the various
  sections of the community.
• To attract, develop and maintain the volunteer
  force for the association.
• To provide good example of governance.
• To network with international organizations.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• OBSTACLES
• The negative connotations attached to the word
  Mediation.
• The perception that this is another gimmick from
  America.
• The lack of resource materials available in
  Turkish/Greek.
• The bad press we received from certain sections
  of the community.
• We were kindly reminded that the work we were
  doing were not in the best interest of the
  state.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
• For a short period we decided to work
  mono-communally.
• We portrayed mediation as a life skill.
• We invited mediator trainers from other countries
  other than the US.
• In the association we included people from all
  walks of life and with varying political views.
• Translated the training material we had.
• Culturalized the material to fit our needs. We
  called it Cypriotizing.
• Published our own resource books and distributed
  them for free.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• OVERCOMING OBSTACLES (continued)
• Conducted seminars, produced radio programs.
  Appeared on TV talk shows. Started a weekly
  column in the news paper.
• We rallied community leaders for support. Stayed
  away from politics and politicians.
• Advertised in the press.
• We arranged visits to villages talking and
  listening to people in their own surroundings.
• We started to work with other NGOs on different
  platforms.
• Tailored in-service training courses and
  workshops to private and public organizations.
• We started practicing what we preached.
• We produced meaningful projects.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Publications
• First such publications in Turkish.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Mediation Courses
• 4 different Modules totaling 40 hours.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Workshops
• Spreading the philosophy of mediation.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• In-service trainings
• Offering different perceptions.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Village visits
• Connecting with people.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Working with teachers
• On going practical learning.

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Cyprus Mediation Association
Working with parents Providing support for
understanding kids.
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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Working with children
• SOS Childrens village.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Working with youth
• Restructuring summer youth camps.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Bi-communal youth training
• Creating sister schools,
• Grammar School Levent College.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Building bridges of PEACE
• Training and socializing with teachers from
• both communities.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• An example of GOVERNANCE
• Providing mediation training at the police
  academy.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Press Coverage
• Publicizing peace work.

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Bi-communal Youth Camps

• Strengthening the bonds between
• the youth of both communities.

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Pro-Active Leadership

• PAL Program
• Empowering the youth as
• the leaders of the future.

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Pro-Active Leadership

• Road to PEACE
• through endurance and perseverance.

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School For International Training

• SIT Program
• Reconciliation through dialogue.

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Youth Encounters for Peace

• YEP Program
• The youth as bridge builders.

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Youth Encounters for Peace

• Co-villagers Program
• Friends meeting friends after 30 years.

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Youth Encounters for Peace

• Graduation Program
• Late is better than never.

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Youth Encounters for Peace

• Cyprus Peace Day
• Acknowledging each others pain.
• Celebrating our togetherness.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Ongoing Projects
• An international conference to raise awareness
  for CRE/PE.
• Law Project Integrating mediation into the legal
  system.
• Australian project Introducing
  Multiculturalism.
• Peer mediation project.
• Retraining of 1200 elementary school teachers.
• Mediation training at the police academy for the
  new cadets. (Two 12 week courses)
• Bi-communal Peace and Reconciliation workshop
  for Cypriots living in Australia in November.

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Cyprus Mediation Association

• Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
  committed citizens can change the world, indeed,
  it is the only thing that ever has.
• Margaret Mead
• Thank you for listening...