The ceremony, which included a tree planting, was attended by the Norwegian State Secretary, Ms. Elisabeth Walaas, the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Cyprus and Head of the U.N. Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, the Representatives of the Turkish and Greek Communities of Nicosia, the Ambassadors of Sweden, Switzerland and Norway, representatives from the Planning Bureau of Cyprus and last, but not least, the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research.
From the Home for Cooperation-project in the buffer-zone in Nicosia June 30. Photo: Association for Historical Dialogue and Research
The idea behind this project is to renovate an old building and create a shared space, an inter-communal, multi-functional educational centre in the U.N. buffer zone of Cyprus that would include conference, museum and exhibition rooms, a centre for archives, a research and education centre for children and educators, a library and a workplace for researchers and organizations with a shared vision of cooperation.
The project, once completed, will help provide the buffer zone with a new purpose and role, and transform it from a symbol of segregaton to a symbol of cooperation. It will ensure conservation of Cypriot cultural heritage and allow local people to develop their knowledge through programmes of education and training, research and dialogue.
The UN Special Representative in Cyprus. Photo: Association for Historical Dialogue and Research
In her speech State Secretary Elisabeth Walaas underlined that through its support for this project, the Norwegian government hopes to contribute to dialogue and confidence-building between the two communities, which should strengthen chances for a successful solution to the Cyprus conflict.