Tatar’s obstacles to the “Imagine” programme a setback

 

7 November 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The announcement by the Turkish Cypriot leadership to suspend the participation of the Turkish Cypriot side in the bicommunal “Imagine” programme, which brings together teachers and students from both communities, constitutes a major setback.

Tatar’s invocation of political reasons related to the broader unacceptable two state policy makes this development even more worrying.

The “Imagine” programme, which is being implemented under the auspices of the Bicommunal Technical Committee for Education, is making a significant contribution to bringing future generations closer to one another, as they are called upon to live in peace, cooperation and friendship. It is one of the most successful bicommunal programmes with increasing participation every year and which has involved a total of over 6,000 school students and teachers in recent years through joint educational activities on both sides of the ‘Green Line’.

As AKEL, we call on all involved agencies to seek to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the programme on the basis of what was agreed in the Technical Committee on Education, despite the new obstacles brought about by the unacceptable decision of the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.