Goodbye to 2013 with an anti-racist short film!!!

The film lasts less than 3 minutes but it has many meanings.
We should not let the stereotypes and prejudices to influence our attitude towards other people without giving the chance to ourselves to know them better.

So….my main wish for 2014 is more tolerance and respect of the human rights. Acceptance and social inclusion will make our world a better place.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the director, Nancy Spetsioti, the script writer,  the cast and the whole production team of the film for this alarm.

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Young People with Fewer Opportunities

A bilingual publication of the Eurodesk Cyprus about the young people with fewer opportunities. The term “young people with fewer opportunities” defines the young people who do not have the same opportunities as their peers because they may face one or more of the following situations:

• Social obstacles
• Economic obstacles
• Disability
• Educational difficulties
• Cultural differences
• Sexual orientation
• Health problems
• Geographical obstacles

Topics:
Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities.
The needs of the Young people with fewer opportunities.
“Youth in Action” Programme and Social Inclusion.
Manuals for youth workers.
Read more HERE.

Useful Links:
Social Inclusion Tkit 8
SALTO and Inclusion
SALTO Inclusion Resource Centre

A school project about  social inclusion

EU Youth Conference of the Cyprus Presidency: “Youth Participation and Social Inclusion”

The EU Youth Conference is a part of the Structured Dialogue procedure that was established  by the Council of the European Union to engage the youth in the decision process. Young people may shape the EU policy on topics that directly affect them through public consultations in each member state and the EU Youth Conference. Each TRIO Presidency sets an overall theme  and then each presidency sets its own priority. The main theme of the 18 month TRIO Poland, Denmark, Cyprus was youth participation in democratic life in Europe. The priority of the Cyprus Presidency was the “Youth Participation and Social Inclusion”. The EU Youth Conference took place in Nicosia on 11-12-13 of September. During the conference of the youth delegates and Directors General of EU Member States discussed how youth participation leads to the social inclusion of all young people, with emphasis on the inclusion of young people with a migrant background and the importance of the participation of young people and youth organizations, especially in decision making for the creation of inclusive, democratic and prosperous societies. The joint recommendations of the youth delegates and Directors General of EU Member States was based on the outcomes of the national consultations in each member state. Find more information in the official website of the Cyprus Presidency. Useful Links:

• European Youth Forum: Structured Dialogue Webpage
• Structured Dialogue Cyprus:Youth Voice of Cyprus

See also: Newsletter Eurodesk Cyprus April: “Structured Dialogue”

Eurodesk Cyprus-Newsletter January: Social Inclusion

The interactive bilingual newsletter of the Eurodesk Cyprus for the month January is special dedicated to the social inclusion,one of the eight fields of the EU Youth Strategy.

The topics are:

• Social Inclusion and EU
• School for the Blinds “Saint Barnabas”,interview from the Headmaster
• Opportunities in Europe
• Good Practices at a local level
• Toolkits for youth workers and trainers
• Contact Information

You may find the newsletter online here

After the interview from the headmaster I have another one moto: Disability is an Ability, Mariepaz

Published by edited the Eurodesk Cyprus

The Minorities and the Cyprus Problem.

In Cyprus, apart from the two major communities, the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot there are three other recognized religious minorities, the Armenians, the Latins and the  Maronites. The Armenians are under the Armenian Orthodox Church, the Latins are under the Romeo-catholic church and the Maronites even though they recognized the Pope as their religious leader they have some differences with the Romeo-catholic church. The Maronites took their name from the “Saint Maronas”.

The Armenians came to Cyprus in the 578 AD. The Latins came between the 1191-1571. The Maronites came to Cyprus from Lebanon between the 8th and the 13th century. The Armenians, Latins and Maronites have a really important contribution to the economic, cultural and social life of the island. It should be mentioned that they have a really strong impact in the history of  Cyprus.According to the Constitution the three recognized minorities had to decide in which community they would like to belong, either to the Greek Cypriot or to the Turkish Cypriot which is against the “Minority Rights”. The above minorities chose to belong to the Greek Cypriot Community.

The educational system has never focused to the multicultural aspect of Cyprus. It is rarely mentioned  the  fact that the Minorities have a really important contribution to the culture of the island.  In the public schools the mainly taught religion is the Greek Orthodox religion, as a result, most of the Greek Cypriots students are completely ignorant about the context of the other religions.In the process of the discussions about the Cyprus problem the minorities who live in Cyprus have never been asked about the kind of the solution they want. In the process of the discussions is always emerging the nationalistic aspect of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriots Community without taking into account the needs and the opinion of the Minorities.

To sum up, I strongly believe that the two major communities should start getting know better the Minorities . Finally, I think that  it’s time to start engaging the Minorities in the discussions for the Cyprus problem.