Program Summary

The Bicommunal Support Program (BSP) was established in 2000 as part of the U.S. effort to assist Cyprus in finding a reasonable and practical federal solution to the Cyprus problem through activities that bring together the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities. AMIDEAST administers the BSP on behalf of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus. The goal of the program is to encourage cooperation between Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot professionals, students, and community leaders through bicommunal activities that encourage the participants to work together to break down barriers and find practical solutions to island-wide concerns.

Main Goals

• Create opportunities for island-wide collaborations between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities

• Foster sustainable island-wide networks for leaders, students, and professionals active in bicommunal efforts

• Develop a cadre of trained individuals from both communities who can make positive contributions to Cyprus’s development 

Highlights

Recent BSP activities include:

• The Jazz Futures Program uses music to promote collaboration and dialogue through jazz workshops and jam sessions which are held regularly in the UN-controlled Buffer Zone and at clubs within the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities.

• Youth Training in Conflict Transformation and Activism develops leadership skills among youth who are active in the reconciliation efforts between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, with a view to reaching more youth in the broader population and ensuring a multiplier effect.

• The Institute for Communication and Language, a department of the Management Centre that is supported in part by BSP, promotes dialogue and communication between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities in Cyprus by providing courses in a common language—English—as well as in Turkish and Greek.

Program Activities and Results

• Over the years, hundreds of Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot professionals have benefited from BSP activities in a range of areas including English language training, NGO capacity building, corporate social responsibility, interfaith dialogue, media ethics, youth leadership, philanthropy, and civil society.

• Over 350 Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot teens have attended a Bicommunal Youth Camp since the program began in 2000.