For those of us born after 1974, life on this divided island often came with the myth that Cypriots were content with the status quo. But growing up in an involuntarily abandoned Greek Cypriot home in Kato Varosha—and constantly asking my father about our city’s suspended reality—led me to scientifically explore the truths of displacement,…
Tag: Famagusta
Echoes of Famagusta: Strategies for ecology and coexistence
Today, I had the pleasure of giving a seminar to the graduation project students (Jury A) at Istanbul Technical University, Department of Architecture. It was inspiring to discuss strategies for ecology and coexistence in my hometown, Famagusta. Wishing all these future architects the best as they develop their proposals for this semester’s challenge: BEYOND THE…
Famagusta’s Voices: Advocating for Peace Amid Division
One island and half a century of division. Four people, born at different times in the same city and into different universes, share the same pain: the division of our island, our city, and involuntary relocations. We also share the same passions: a love for the sea, the smell of orange blossoms, and a dedication…
Famagusta Futures: Towards Ecological and Sustainable Peace
Bugün, Bilkent Kentsel Tasarım ve Peyzaj Mimarlığı Bölümü (Bilkent LAUD) öğrencileriyle bir araya geldik. Mağusa’nın tarihini, bölünmüşlüğünü, kent sorunlarını, eski sakinlerinin geri dönme ümitlerine rağmen zaman içinde donmuş ve bir gün karanlık turistlerin ziyaretine açılmış Maraş’ı konuştuk. Nazik davetleri ve bana Mağusa’da barışçıl ve sürdürülebilir bir planlamanın, şeffaf olmayan süreçlerle değil, kentin önceki ve…
Praxis of Urban Peacebuilding in Famagusta Cyprus
Bogac, C. (2023). Praxis of urban peacebuilding in Famagusta Cyprus . Journal of Urban Research and Development, 4(01), 5–15. Retrieved from https://ojs.emu.edu.tr/index.php/jurd/article/view/447 Abstract Urban design and development have experienced significant changes, shifting away from traditional top-down decision-making methods. This shift has emphasized the importance of community engagement and participatory design, particularly in contested cities. Famagusta, a city…
Visions for the future of Famagusta: Interview with RTL Belgium
It has been a long time since urban design diverged from traditional top-down decision-making approaches and transformed into more inclusive, participatory, and collaborative methods. As a city deeply affected by the ongoing division in Cyprus, Famagusta needs not only physical infrastructure renewal but also a sustainable and ecological peace-memory-narrative infrastructure, where all the actors and…
Advocating for “Green Renaissance” at Voxeurop
Thanks to Chloé Emmanouilidis from VoxEurop for this piece. We are a group of people (Famagusta Ecocity Project)who loves nature, who believes we need to take an action for climate crisess, who knows that peace is only way for sustainable human existence- especially on a small island. We study based on science and facts and…
Bölünmüşlük Barış Getirmez
Bölünmüşlük barış getirmez, sınırlar insanları birleştirmez. İnsan doğaya hükmedemez ve empati yoksunluğumuz yükseldikçe, böylesi bir ortamda barış düzeni oluşturmak daha da zorlaşır. Hem doğa hem de insanla olan savaşlarla talan edilmiş, bölünmüş hiçbir düzen ve mekânsal düzlem, parça parça reformlarla kurgulandığı zaman, uzlaştırıcı bir zemine dönüşmez… Dr. Alexandra Novosseloff ile “Kıbrıs’ta BM Barış Gücü’nin (UNFICYP)…
“360 Degrees” – ALPHA TV GREECE
A short documentary about Famagusta that is broadcasted on Alpha TV to present various dimensions of the city’s division and displacement for former and current citizens. I would like to thank to Maya Filippopoulou once again, the editor in chief, for her sensitivity to reflect Turkish Cypriot and bicommunal peace building efforts in this documentary….
Memory Landscapes of Famagusta
Today I talked with Maya Filippopoulou, Editor in chief of 360 Degrees News program, Alpha TV Greece, about memory landscapes of Famagusta and the ontological meaning of the city’s fragmentation for both communities. We also discussed about future projections through the facts regarding to the ecological threats. I would like to thank to her and…
Just published! “The Famagusta Ecocity: A New Path for Peace in Cyprus” BOOK
Thanks to all our authors, friends, supporters and everyone who believes in a united and sustainable future in the beautiful city of Famagusta- for this amazing book! We believe in this ecopolis which does not stand away- Together we stand, divided we fall 🌱 Preface “We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a…
“If the Varosha is re-opened, people should touch their homes, breath there…”
The new initiative of the government regarding to the Closed Varosha excited the Famagustians. Environmental Psychologist Ceren Boğaç from the Famagusta Ecocity Project spoke to the Cyprus Post about the traumas created by Closed Varosha and the project. Boğaç said if Varosha is re-opened, the first thing that people should do after all those…
Avrupa’nın çözülmemiş en uzun çatışması / The longest unresolved conflict on the Europe
İtalyan minet-TV ile Avrupa kıtasında çözülmemiş en uzun çatışma ve en uzun süredir devam eden BM barış gücü misyonlarından biri haline gelen “Kıbrıs sorunu” üzerine konuştuk. Röportajda, adada sahip olduğumuz ortak mirası, Mağusa’nın güzelliklerini ve çalışmaktan ve dillendirmekten hiç vazgeçmeyeceğim kalıcı barış arzumu bir kez daha vurguladım. Yayın editörü Christine Helfer’e raporunda bana da yer…
Sustainability in the Island of Cyprus
I would like to thank Xanat Meza for featuring me in her “Report of Sustainability in the Island of Cyprus”! Thanks for covering the example of the Therapeutic Community Agia Skepi, a cultural garden which is created by Emily Markides, the inspiration behind the Famagusta Ecocity Project. Click for the Japanese version of the article…
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