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Abstract
Civil society in Cyprus has a key role to play in creating spaces for dialogue and cooperation between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities. Recent research by the International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC) has identified how these processes have contributed to trust and peacebuilding on the island, the challenges facing organisations engaged in this work, and how these were being addressed. It demonstrates that important steps are being taken by civil society organisations to overcome prejudices and break down barriers, and that by further developing links with local and international policymakers and institutions, civil society could be a stronger player in the peace process.
Renforcement de la société civile et de la confiance à Chypre
La société civile chypriote a un rôle clé à jouer dans la création d'espaces propices au dialogue et à la coopération entre les communautés turque et gréco-chypriote. Des recherches récemment menées par l'International Training and Research Centre (INTRAC) ont identifié la manière dont ces processus ont contribué au renforcement de la confiance et de la paix sur l'île, les défis auxquels sont confrontées les organisations actives dans ce travail, et la manière dont ces défis étaient relevés. Les résultats de ces recherches montrent que des mesures importantes sont prises par les organisations de la société civile pour venir à bout des préjugés et éradiquer les barrières, et qu'en mettant au point des liens avec des décideurs et des institutions internationaux, la société civile pourrait être un protagoniste plus puissant dans le processus de paix.
La sociedad civil y la construcción de confianza en Chipre
En Chipre, la sociedad civil desempeña un rol importante en la creación de espacios para el diálogo y en la cooperación entre las comunidades turca y griega chipriota. Investigaciones recientes, realizadas por el Centro Internacional para la Capacitación y la Investigación (intrac por sus siglas en inglés), han identificado cómo estos procesos han aportado confianza logrando construir paz en la isla, cuáles son los retos enfrentados por las organizaciones que participan en este trabajo, y cómo fueron abordados dichos retos. Asimismo, dichas investigaciones demuestran que las organizaciones de la sociedad civil han dado pasos importantes para superar prejuicios y barreras y que, al desarrollar relaciones adicionales con los formadores de políticas y con las instituciones, la sociedad civil podría convertirse en un actor más fuerte en el proceso de paz.
Sociedade civil e construção da confiança em Chipre
A sociedade civil em Chipre possui um papel-chave na criação de espaços para diálogo e cooperação entre as comunidades cipriotas turcas e gregas. Pesquisa recente do Centro de Treinamento e Pesquisa Internacional (INTRAC) identificou como estes processos têm contribuído para a construção da confiança e paz na ilha, os desafios que as organizações enfrentam neste trabalho e como eles estão sendo abordados. Ela demonstra que passos importantes estão sendo dados pelas organizações da sociedade civil para superar preconceitos e destruir barreiras e, ao desenvolver mais as ligações com formuladores de políticas locais e internacionais e com instituições, a sociedade civil pode ser um agente mais forte no processo de paz.
Notes
1. This practical note is based on the following longer resources:
Additional information
Norman Gillespie (corresponding author) was the Senior Researcher on the EU-funded project under the Cypriot Civil Society in Action programme. Norman was previously Evaluation Manager with Community Evaluation Northern Ireland. He also has considerable experience of the voluntary and community sectors. He has also previously worked and published in related academic and policy research, including Research Fellowships at the Policy Research Institute, the Queen's University Belfast, and the University of Ulster from where he was awarded a PhD in Social and Community Science.
Vasiliki Georgiou was a Research Assistant on the Cypriot Civil Society in Action Programme. Vasiliki has a PhD in Sociolinguistics from the University of Southampton and has researched and published on language issues in Cyprus and Ireland. Prior to her position with INTRAC, she held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Technology in Tralee, Ireland, working on a research project investigating the implementation of language legislation in Ireland, funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences. She has also worked as a researcher in the EU-funded research network “Languages in a Network of European Excellence”, examining issues of language and national identity in Cyprus and Croatia.
Sevinc Insay was a Research Assistant on the Cypriot Civil Society in Action Programme. Sevinc's previous work involved research for advocacy papers including women's interests in the peacemaking process in Cyprus, field research about children's perceptions of crossing the border, and the concept of the “other”. She has a BA in Politics from the University of Wolverhampton and an MA in Human Rights from the University of Manchester. Sevinc is also an assistant facilitator for children's rights education training and has been involved in a number of civil society organisations in a voluntary capacity.