CYPRIOT WOMEN MARCH FOR PEACE

March 11, 2003 – (HandAcrosstheDivide – Cyprus) AROUND 120 Cypriot women from both sides of the divide yesterday marked International Women’s Day and reaffirmed their desire to continue to work for the reunification of the island.

The meeting point was the Ledra Palace hotel in the buffer zone, where the women greeted each other warmly and freed three pigeons as a symbol of peace.

The women issued a declaration, which they will hand over to United Nations Secretary-general Kofi Annan.

The declaration was read out in Greek and Turkish by Skevi Pashia, the chairwoman of POGO, a Greek Cypriot women’s organisation, and Tulin Murat, head of the Turkish Secondary School Teachers’ Union.

In the declaration, they expressed their desire to continue working for the reunification of Cyprus and the achievement of lasting peace.

“At this period, we are going through very significant and critical moments for the future of our common country.

“We as mothers, wives and sisters once again join our forces for peace, reunification, and equality,” the declaration said.

“Learning from the wounds of the past and shaping our future from the beginning, understanding our differences as richness, we should create our future together, a future in peace so as never again to live the bitterness of the past.”

The women said that as Cypriot mothers they all spoke in one voice, aiming to stress that they would continue the struggle with courage and resolution to create a beautiful future for their children in the European family, in a reunified federal Cyprus.

The speeches were followed by a bi-communal musical program.

From: http://www.handsacrossthedivide.org/index.php?section=newdetails&INC_ID=135