Author Archives: Office of RTCYPP

RTCYPP News 16.6.16

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Office of RTCYP launches a new initiative “ Know Your Neighbour: Respect One Another”- an informative and educational program for the public including state officials, policy makers, clerics and citizens.

Part of living together is to know and respect each other’s cultural, literary, musical, religious traditions and more. In the case of religion, knowing what is holy and significant for the other enhances respect for the other. Respecting each other’s differences contributes to the promotion and protection of religious freedom and belief, a fundamental human right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“We are always asked what and when are the significant religious holidays celebrated by different faith traditions in Cyprus and their significance, “ says Salpy Eskidjian, Executive Coordinator of the Office of RTCYPP, “ We have repeatedly witnessed policies or practices of violations of religious freedom in Cyprus, sometimes simply because of lack of knowledge or understanding on what is significant or even holy for the other.”

Third RTCYPP Round Table on Human Rights

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OHCHR’S FAITH FOR RIGHTS – A NEW PLATFORM TO ADVANCE DIALOGUE ON HUMAN RIGHTS WITH RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND NON-RELIGIOUS ACTORS IN CYPRUS?

OHCHR’s initiative “Faith for Rights”, introduced to Cyprus’ religious communities and civil society representatives at the Office of RTCYPP’s Third Round Table for Human Rights in Cyprus, could prove essential in finding a new platform for a cross-disciplinary dialogue with the aim to advancing human rights on the divided island.

Launched by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in March 2017 “Faith for Rights” aims to strengthen and deepen the connections between religions and human rights. The initiative, which consists of the “Beirut Declaration” and its 18 Commitments, was presented at the Third Round Table for Human Rights in Cyprus on 28 September, convened by the Office of RTCYPP.

- Faith for Rights is essentially trying to create a space for cross-disciplinary reflections on the connection between religions, faiths, and human rights. It aims to be inclusive and open up space for discussion, Roanna Tay, Human Rights Officer with OHCHR who introduced and presented the UN body’s initiative at the round table, says.

The Beirut Declaration builds on the 2012 Rabat Plan of Action and calls on believers of all faiths to pledge their will to defend fundamental human rights against discrimination and violence. While the declaration itself sets out general guidelines, the 18 commitments are more concrete with specific details on different rights.

Roanna Tay stresses Faith for Rights’ versatility and potential for bridging divides and finding commonality among different actors, not least with using the UN body’s initiative as a platform for bringing people together for fruitful dialogues with tangible actions and results.

- The declaration and the commitments are tools for dialogue, but we do not want it to stop there. While dialogue is important, it is not an end in itself. These documents are intended to be used as platform for concrete action on the ground, she says.
Salpy Eskidjian, Executive Coordinator of the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP) and convener of the round table, concurs with Roanna Tay. She says there is a need for a mechanism that can inform and educate all communities in Cyprus on fundamental human rights including freedom of religion.

The RTCYPP Third Round Table for Human Rights on 28 September brought together some 20 participants from the civil society including religious communities in Cyprus. The discussions focused on the Faith for Rights and finding ways and means to put the Beirut Declaration and its 18 commitments in a Cypriot perspective.

- It was an open and candid discussion and it is clear that we don’t have this space or mechanism today where different faith communities can discuss and learn more about human rights, Salpy Eskidjian says. Through our work in Cyprus since 2009 we can confidently state that there is lack of trusted shared spaces for such learning, dialogue and action which also includes the religious communities in Cyprus.

Many of the participants pointed to two factors that could foster a better understanding for human rights among faith communities in Cyprus; education and children.

- Human Rights education is crucial in any society, Salpy Eskidjian says, emphasizing the need for concrete actions to better educate children and youth in all communities in Cyprus on human rights and to advance them.

The previous Round Tables for Human Rights, held in 2013 and 2015 respectively, have been successful and inclusive but the tangible results in between the discussions have been limited. The Beirut Declaration with its 18 commitments could prove to be the cross-disciplinary vehicle needed to engage the faith communities on human rights in Cyprus, not least with children in mind as one of the target groups.

- The commitments can be used as foundations for projects on education for human rights with children and youth. Art and music can for instance be used to explore gender inequality and stereotypes in our societies, Roanna Tay says and continues:

- The UN OHCHR would be very pleased if the Office of the Religious Track, together with religious communities and other civil society representatives in Cyprus, could pave the way and bring this discussion forward in a process with concrete projects.

Having religious and non-religious actors come together to initiate a cross-disciplinary dialogue on human rights such as the RTCYPP Round Tables for Human Rights in Cyprus is definitely a start. And with the Office of RTCYPP already working on developing ideas on how to use commitments in the Beirut Declaration in a Cyprus context, prospects for tangible results and concrete actions based on the discussions are more than promising.

- The Office of RTCYPP has committed itself to contributing to the UN OHCHR Faith for Rights initiative by introducing it and making it relevant here in Cyprus, through platforms like the RTCYPP Round Table for Human Rights, the RTCYPP website and our social media outlets. We are also providing the Greek and Turkish translations of the Declaration and its commitments to the OHCHR for their use and sharing. We hope to further discussion and action on rights with all the leadership and representatives of the faith communities in Cyprus using specific commitments to start with, Salpy Eskidjian says. We will also explore ways to work with children and youth.

Whatever the outcome, it is clear that the Office or RTCYPP’s Third Round Table for Human Rights in Cyprus sparked an interest for OHCHR’s “Faith for Rights”. It could very well be that a new platform to advance dialogue on human rights with religious communities and non-religious actors in Cyprus has been identified.

The Beirut Declaration and its 18 commitments on “Faith for Rights”
In March 2017, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched its initiative on ”Faith for Rights” with an expert workshop in Beirut. The objective is to foster the development of peaceful societies, which uphold human dignity and equality for all and where diversity is not just tolerated but fully respected and celebrated.
More information: www.ohchr.org

Press Release 7.2.18

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Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of UN Peacekeeping Operation in Cyprus extends her support to the peacebuilding efforts of the RTCYPP during World Interfaith Harmony Week

On 7 February 2018, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) and Head of UNFICYP, Ms. Elizabeth Spehar, visited a selected number of religious monuments and cemeteries high on the agenda of the religious leaders of Cyprus. Archbishop Chrysostomos II of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus and Dr. Talip Atalay, Mufti of Cyprus welcomed the visit and the support of UNFICYP.

Bishop Porfyrios of Neapolis and Imam Shakir Alemdar of Hala Sultan Tekke briefed the SRSG about the state of the religious monuments visited, and about some of the challenges the faith communities face in regards to accessing and restoring these sites of worship. SRSG Spehar thanked the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP) for organizing the visit and took the opportunity to express her support for the joint advocacy efforts of the religious leaders of Cyprus for religious freedom, coexistence, peace and reconciliation.

The visit took place on the last day of World Interfaith Harmony Week, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly to acknowledge that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace. The joint field visit to religious monuments are a positive example of how the religious leaders of Cyprus, within the framework of RTCYPP, are working together in solidarity to advocate for religious freedom and the protection of all religious monuments in Cyprus.

Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Sweden, Mr. Peter Kvist and RTCYPP Executive Coordinator Ms. Salpy Eskidjian accompanied the visit. The RTCYPP is an unprecedented local confidence and peacebuilding effort, initiated in 2009 under the auspices of the Embassy of Sweden.

Press Release 19.1.18

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Secretary General of the United Nations acknowledges Confidence-Building measures by the Religious Track (RTCYPP) in his report to the Security Council

In his latest 6-month report, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, acknowledges the recent steps taken by the religious leaders of Cyprus to build confidence between the communities on the island and recommends that all restrictions on the freedom of worship, including those relating to access to religious sites, should be lifted.

The Secretary General expresses his appreciation for the commitment of the religious leaders of Cyprus to joint dialogue and the promotion of religious freedom supported by the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process under the auspices of the Embassy of Sweden (RTCYPP).

Referring to the RTCYPP, Mr. António Guterres emphasizes the unprecedented joint initiative by the religious leaders to approve “Greek and Turkish language classes for members of the clerical orders, nuns and laypersons working in different religious institutions.” The Secretary General also acknowledges the third RTCYPP Round Table for Human Rights, organized in cooperation with UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), for its efforts in bringing together representatives from 16 religious groups and civil society organizations in Cyprus to discuss human rights.

The Secretary General also recognized the significance of religious services and pilgrimages as constituting a significant confidence-building measure. In that light he underlined the special pilgrimages to Hala Sultan Tekke, which is one of the achievements of the RTCYPP, where with the cooperation of UNFICYP, the Mufti of Cyprus and the full support of Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus a total of 2270 Muslim pilgrims of Turkish origin were able to pray in Hala Sultan Tekke during the reporting period.

The report to the Security Council mentions that UNFICYP has noted with concern the decline in the number of applications for religious services that it was asked to facilitate in the north, and a decline in numbers of approvals for such services, in comparison to the same period in 2016. The Secretary General states that the UN Mission in Cyprus remains also concerned about other restrictions that hampered religious worship on the island, including time limitations on religious worship in mosques in the south.

The 6-month report of the Secretary General (Reference: S/2018/25) on the operation in Cyprus was presented to members of the UN Security Council on 17 January when the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate for an additional six more months was discussed.

Reports of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Operation in Cyprus are made twice a year and cover UNFICYPs operations and the political developments on the island.

Full extract of the UN Secretary General references to the RTCYPP is found here below.

Extracts from the UN Secretary General’s 6 months’ report on the Operation in Cyprus (9 January 2018)

Paragraph 24. Opportunities to visit and hold services at religious sites continue to be important to both communities. During the reporting period, UNFICYP facilitated the participation of more than 5,375 people in 34 religious and commemorative activities either in the buffer zone, or at the required crossings to the other side, of which 27 were in the north and seven in the buffer zone. During the same period in 2016, a total of 36 services and commemorative events were held (29 were in the north, 7 in the buffer zone). Separately, UNFICYP facilitated crossings of nearly 2,270 pilgrims from the northern part of Cyprus to the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in Larnaca on 26 June, 5 September and 29 November respectively. The pilgrimage on 29 November was the eleventh following the joint agreement of the religious leaders in 2014.

Paragraph 25. Given that such events constitute a significant confidence-building measure, UNFICYP noted with concern the decline in the number of applications for religious services that it was asked to facilitate in the north, and a decline in numbers of approvals for such services, in comparison to the same period in 2016. The Mission remained concerned about other restrictions that hampered religious worship on the island, including time limitations on religious worship in mosques in the south. All restrictions on the freedom of worship, including those relating to access to religious sites, should be lifted.

Paragraph 26. The religious leaders of Cyprus sustained their commitment to joint dialogue and the promotion of religious freedom within the framework of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process under the auspices of the Embassy of Sweden, with ongoing support from UNFICYP. During the reporting period, the religious leaders undertook an unprecedented joint initiative by approving Greek and Turkish language classes for members of the clerical orders, nuns and laypersons working in different religious institutions. The participants meet each other weekly in the buffer zone, broadening the circle of dialogue and cooperation between these religious institutions.

Paragraph 27. In cooperation with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on 28 September the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process convened the third round table on human rights since 2013. OHCHR introduced Faith For Rights, an initiative launched in March 2017 via the Beirut Declaration, in which faith-based civil society actors recognized “religious or belief convictions as a source for the protection of the whole spectrum of inalienable human entitlements”. Religious leaders and representatives from 16 religious groups and civil society organizations joined the discussion in Cyprus, and the Beirut Declaration and its 18 Commitments were translated into Greek and Turkish by the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process.

Press Release 29.11.17

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11th Special Pilgrimage to Hala Sultan Tekke

On the occasion of the Mawlid-al Nabi - a special pilgrimage to Hala Sultan Tekke took place today, on the 29th of November. Mufti of Cyprus, H.E Dr Talip Atalay led prayers at noon for 950 faithful of Turkish origin that cannot otherwise cross the buffer zone in the divided island of Cyprus.

Mawlid al-Nabi, or Mevlid Kandili in Turkish, is the observance and celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad. Mawlid is celebrated on the 12th day of the third month of the Islamic calendar, called Rabi’al-Awwal. Mawlid begins in the evening of 29 November and ends in the evening of 30 November 2017.

The special pilgrimage was organised and led by the Mufti of Cyprus, coordinated by the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP) and facilitated by UNFICYP and UN Police. This was the 11th pilgrimage since 2014, and the third in 2017 arranged within the framework agreement of the RTCYPP. To this date 9500 pilgrims have been able to cross and pray at Hala Sultan Tekke through this special arrangement.

“We are thankful that through our joint efforts as religious leaders of Cyprus, with the support of the Office of RTCYPP under the Auspices of the Embassy of Sweden, we were able to have this special pilgrimage to Hala Sultan Tekke. Once again our hearts are filled with hope. Today’s pilgrimage is a testament to the commitment of the religious leaders of Cyprus to continue working together for religious freedom, human rights and reconciliation. We are grateful to all those who support our efforts.” said Mufti Talip Atalay.

H.E. Ambassador of Sweden, Anna Olsson Vrang and Rev. Father Mashdotz Ashkarian, representing Archbishop Khoren of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Cyprus, were on site at Hala Sultan Tekke and extended their best wishes for Mawlid-al Nabi to Mufti Talip Atalay and to all Muslims living in Cyprus. “I’m grateful to the Cyprus religious leaders’, UNFICYP and UN Police for their efforts and cooperation to enable today’s special pilgrimage.” said Ambassador Olsson Vrang.

Press Release 16.11.17

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Religious Leaders of Cyprus meet on International Day of Tolerance

A High-Level meeting of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP) took place on 16 November 2017, coinciding with the 22nd Anniversary of the International Day of Tolerance. The meeting was hosted by the Ambassador of Sweden to Cyprus, H.E Anna Olsson Vrang, at her residence in Nicosia.

Present at the meeting were H.B Archbishop Chrysostomos II of the Church of Cyprus, H.E Talip Atalay, Mufti of Cyprus, H.E Archbishop Khoren Doghramadjian of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Rev Jerzy Kraj, Latin Patriarchal Vicar and of the Apostolic Nunciature in Cyprus and Father Ibrahim Khita, representative of H.E Archbishop Soueif of the Maronite Church of Cyprus.

“Today’s meeting of religious leaders coincides with the International Day for Tolerance. The leaders’ commitment to work together for human rights, peace and reconciliation is nothing less than a testament to the spirit of this particular day, namely the universal values of mutual respect and tolerance. I am impressed by their courage and leadership in this regard and hope it can be an inspiration to others”, said Ambassador Olsson Vrang.

The religious leaders affirmed their commitment to dialogue and cooperation despite their differences, demonstrating that “the diversity of religions, languages, cultures and ethnicities in Cyprus will never be a pretext for conflict but a treasure that enriches them all.”

The religious leaders discussed recent developments related to the religious heritage of Cyprus and religious freedom in Cyprus, as well as their joint plans for the rest of the year. They reiterated their request for the political leadership to continue to intervene so that all places of worship and religious heritage in Cyprus are respected, permission is granted for their restoration and the right to worship is respected.

Prior to their meeting, the religious leaders jointly visited the Green Line together with UN SRSG Elizabeth Spehar, Head of UNFICYP and Ambassador Olsson Vrang. They welcomed the visit and reiterated their appreciation for the UN SRSG’s interest in and support for their joint peacebuilding efforts. The visit provided an opportunity for them to see the historic churches of St Jacob and St George, among others. The religious leaders expressed their dismay with the tragic state of the two churches and the lack of urgent action for their reinforcement despite their joint efforts under the auspices of the Embassy of Sweden.

Press Release 5.10.17

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Learning Each Others Language to Build Bridges of Cooperation and Coexistence

A new joint project of the religious leaders of Cyprus to provide an opportunity for members of the clerical order and laypersons to meet each other and learn Greek and Turkish for the very first time in Cyprus is being launched on 5 October 2017 by the Office of RTCYPP at the Home for Cooperation in the Buffer Zone in Nicosia.

The introductory language course will be offered for a total of 20 priests, imams, nuns and laypersons working for faith based institutions in Cyprus whose names were submitted by the respective religious leaders of Cyprus from the Greek Orthodox, Muslim, Armenian Orthodox, Maronite and Latin Catholic faith communities

The Greek and Turkish classes will take place simultaneously on a weekly basis followed by a joint time, hosted and facilitated by the Office of RTCYPP, where the participants will get the chance to know each other and practice what they learn.

“Learning and speaking the language of the other respective community is a concrete pre-requisite to bridge-building in a divided country.” said Ambassador Anna Olsson Vrang of Sweden. “We are pleased that with the help of our moral and financial support, the Office of RTCYPP under the Auspices of the Embassy of Sweden could take such an important concrete step despite the current state of affairs in the peace talks in Cyprus.”

“The religious leaders of Cyprus agree that learning to communicate in each others mother tongue is of utmost importance in the search for coexistence and peace in a decades long divided island and fully support this new exciting initiative of the RTCYPP“ said Salpy Eskidjian, Executive Coordinator of the RTCYPP. “We hope that with the blessings and consent of the religious leaders, the language course will also help broaden the circle and widen our efforts involving more priests, imams, nuns as well as lay women and men active in religious institutions or faith communities who believe in dialogue, cooperation and coexistence.”

The pilot project is initiated, organized and funded by the Office of RTCYPP following the full support and endorsement of the religious leaders of Cyprus. Ambassador Olsson Vrang will be opening the Language Course and welcome the participants. Office of RTCYPP initiates and supports joint initiatives such as this, aimed at encouraging the positive joint contributions of all the religious leaders of Cyprus to confidence and peace building.

Press Release 27.9.17

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Office of RTCYPP Convenes Third Round Table for Human Rights in Cyprus

The Office of RTCYPP will be convening its third Round Table for Human Rights with representatives of faith communities and partner civil society organisations on the 28 September 2017 at the Home for Cooperation. The main aim of the meeting will be to provide an opportunity for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to introduce its initiative “Faith for Rights” including the “Beirut Declaration” and its 18 Commitments as a follow up of the 2012 “Rabat Plan of Action” to the faith communities in Cyprus.
The initiative “Faith for Rights” was launched by the OHCHR in March 2017 with an expert workshop in Beirut and addresses stakeholders in the field of religion or belief. The initiative aims to provide space for a cross-disciplinary dialogue between religions and human rights, articulating that individual and communal expression of religions or beliefs thrive and flourish in environments where human rights are protected. The 18 Commitments included in the “Beirut Declaration” are formulated to take concrete action regarding the three core responsibilities of religious leaders articulated in the 2012 “Rabat Plan of Action” regarding racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. The three core responsibilities are:
• Refraining from using messages of intolerance that may incite violence, hostility or discrimination;
• Speaking out firmly and promptly against in tolerance, discriminatory stereotyping and instances of hate speech;
• Being clear that violence can never be tolerated as a response to incitement to hatred

Some of the issues in the 18 Commitments are as follows:
• Stand up for the rights of all persons belonging to minorities;
• Publicly denounce all instances of advocacy of hatred that incites to violence, discrimination or hostility;
• Monitor interpretations, determinations or other religious views that manifestly conflict with universal human rights norms and standard to refine the curriculums, teaching materials and textbooks;
• Revisit religious interpretations that appear to perpetuate gender inequality and harmful stereotypes or even condone gender-based violence

The Office of RTCYPP convened the first Round Table for Human Rights in 2013, in cooperation with the OHCHR and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FORB). For the first time faith communities in Cyprus came together with civil society partners from both sides of the divided island to address and discuss together issues related to freedom of religion or belief. The second Round Table for Human Rights took place in October 2015 once again in cooperation with the Office of OHCHR and the Special Rapporteur on FORB focussing on the right to access and restore sacred places and education as a tool to promote freedom of religion. The 2017 RTCYPP Round Table for Human Rights will discuss concrete ways to engage with “Faith for Rights" to be implemented for and with women, men and children on the whole island.

Press Release 5.9.17

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The Right to Worship in Cyprus should not be a Victim of its Division

On the occasion of the Eid al-Adha - Kurban Bayram - a special pilgrimage to Hala Sultan Tekke is taking place today, on the 5th of September, for 600 faithful of Turkish origin that cannot otherwise cross the buffer zone in the divided island of Cyprus.

“These special pilgrimages are the fruits of the religious leaders’ dialogue and cooperation for which we are both committed to and most grateful for. No matter what, as religious leaders of Cyprus we all agree and advocate for religious freedom and these pilgrimages are one concrete such example.“ said Mufti Talip Atalay. “The right to worship and freedom to access places of worship all over the island for everyone living in Cyprus should not be a victim of it’s division nor be dependant on politics. No matter what anyone says this is what I have promoted and advocated for since I took office and will never give up on this principle”

H.E. Ambassador of Sweden, Anna Olsson Vrang, was on site at Hala Sultan Tekke for the first time at a special pilgrimage and extended her best wishes for the Eid to Mufti Talip Atalay and to all Muslims living in Cyprus. “I’m happy that Sweden through the initiative of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process can contribute to the promotion of freedom of religion and the respect of basic human rights principles on this beautiful island”.

“Through our work over the years we have witnessed the concrete consequences when the right to worship, on both sides of the divide, is either violated or respected. We regret that religious freedom is still not fully understood by politicians or civil servants.” Said the Executive Coordinator of the Office of RTCYPP, Salpy Eskidjian. “Today we witness a small sign of hope and bridge-building at a time when trust among Cypriots has been broken again.”

The special pilgrimage to Hala Sultan Tekke is the result of an unprecedented agreement between the religious leaders of Cyprus, namely H.B. Archbishop Chrysostomos II of the Church of Cyprus and the Mufti of Cyprus H.E. Dr Talip Atalay. The agreement was reached in 2014 within the framework of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process under the Auspices of the Embassy of Sweden (RTCYPP) and has had the full support of the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, H.E. Mr Kasoulides. The special pilgrimages are organised and led by the Mufti of Cyprus, coordinated by the Office of RTCYPP and the facilitated by UNFICYP and UN Police. Special pilgrimages to Hala Sultan Tekke have been taking place three times annually as per the request of the Mufti of Cyprus on the occasions of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Mawlid-al Nabi. This was the 10th pilgrimage within this framework agreement since 2014.

Kurban Bayram or Eid al-Adha, is one of Islam's holiest festival celebrated annually around the world and an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries. It marks the end of the Hajj to Mecca. In Cyprus it is known as Kurban Bayram. For Muslims, Eid al-Adha commemorates the day when prophet Abraham or Ibrahim was going to sacrifice his son but was instructed by God to offer an animal instead. Eid al-Adha in Arabic literally means "festival of the sacrifice". One essential part of this holiday is to distribute meat amongst the needy. Families who can't provide meat may choose to make contributions to charities that will provide meat to those who are in need. The feast is welcomed with the greetings “Kurban Bayramınız Kutlu Olsun” or “Eid Mubarak”. In 2017, Eid al-Adha begins in the evening of August 31 and ends in the evening of September 4.

The Mosque of Umm Haram at Hala Sultan Tekke is considered the most significant Muslim place of worship in Cyprus. The Tekke is open daily at set hours by the Antiquities Department and used by Turkish Cypriot and other Muslim faithful freely. The Imam of Hala Sultan leads prayers every Friday. As a result of the religious leaders’ dialogue known as RTCYPP, the Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus and former Ministers of Interior of the Republic of Cyprus supported the Mufti’s request to set up an office for the Imam. Recently cooking and guest facilities have also been added to serve pilgrims on Fridays and feast days. During Ramadan and other special feasts special arrangements are made for Hala Sultan Tekke to be open longer hours day and night to accommodate the worshipping needs of the faithful.

Press Release 5.7.17

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Delegation from Cyprus meets with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Sweden in Almedalen

Representatives of the religious leaders of Cyprus met with the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Annika Söder, during the annual political week of Sweden, known as, Almedalen, in Visby. The State Secretary thanked the religious leaders of Cyprus for their continued dialogue to restore trust, contribute to the peace process and the ongoing efforts to reunify the country.

“It is rewarding to present the work we are doing with the religious track (RTCYPP) which is there to create the long-term foundations for peacebuilding”, said the State Secretary. “Peace and reconciliation will come from the grassroots level and we hope you will continue to play a key positive role in this regard.”

The Archbishopric of the Church of Cyprus, was represented by Bishop Porfyrios of Neapolis, the head of the Church’s representation to the European Institutions, and the Muftiate of Cyprus by Imam Shakir Alemdar of Hala Sultan Tekke.
In thanking the State Secretary, Bishop Porfyrios assured her that “the religious leaders of Cyprus will continue to work fervently to support reunification, restore religious freedom and the soul of the people. “

“No matter what, we are not tired, nor scared or in despair, we are patient and confident to walk the straight path we are obliged to do. We will continue to do what is right”, said Imam Shakir Alemdar. “We are grateful to the Government and Church of Sweden for accompanying us.”

At the invitation of the Bishop of Visby, Sven Bernard Fast and the Director of the Swedish Institute in Alexandria, Peter Weiderud, the representatives of the religious leaders together with the Executive Coordinator of the Office of RTCYPP, contributed to a seminar on the role of religion in conflict and peacebuilding highlighting the case of Cyprus. The well-attended seminar also involved representatives from other conflict countries in the MENA Region. “The work of the religious leaders in Cyprus offers us a sign of hope”, said Bishop Fast. “While the Conference on Cyprus is underway in Crans Montana, we are happy to give space to a united voice from Cyprus reiterating their support to dialogue, cooperation and coexistence”, said Peter Weiderud, one of the architects of the RTCYPP.

“A positive sustainable peace process has to be inclusive in every sense of the word. As such it has to acknowledge the importance of human rights, including religious freedom and the need to build solid structures of trust to pave the way for real reconciliation”, said Salpy Eskidjian, head of the Office of RTCYPP. “We are doing our best to contribute in this regard.”

The delegation from Cyprus were invited to attend the formal reception of the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, Antje Jackelén and Bishop Fast where they publicly thanked them and the Government of Sweden for standing up for human rights, international law and their contribution to peace and reconciliation in Cyprus.