Nicosia, Cyprus (Commonwealth Union)_It’s Pride Week, and across the world, while LGBTQ+ communities unite, the Cyprus community decided to make a statement in more ways than one. Cyprus held its very first United Pride Parade this week. While politics separated the capital city of Nicosia, the LGBTQ+ communities decided to unite the city by coming together in celebration in no-man’s-land that splits Cyprus in two. The African LGBTIQ+ community and LGBT Pilipinas also joined in the celebrations.
“All you need is love” was the rallying cry as activists came together from opposing sides of Nicosia and converged in the United Nations-controlled buffer zone. The sea of rainbow flags was proof enough that all you really are love as there were cheers, embraces, hugs, and kisses all around. In the background, were chants of ‘peace’ and ‘united by pride across the green line’ with reference to the dividing line.
The draping of a building in the buffer zone with the colors of the rainbow, undeniably brought a tear to many an eye, reiterating the futility of man-made divides which ultimately need to be confronted and eliminated for the betterment of any nation. The message by the LGBTQ+ community is simply that they want a united island – not a difficult mission to accomplish if there is political will.
A brief Greek-inspired coup was the raison d’etre for a Turkish invasion in 1974 which has since seen Cyprus suffer ethnic violence, splitting the country in two. In the north lived the Turkish Cypriot community, while in the south reside the Greek Cypriots. The Pride event held on Saturday the 17th was designed to bring together members of the LGBTQ+ communities on both sides of the divide.
A multi-cultural Cyprus is the reason for the LGBTQ+ celebrations, integrating all communities irrespective of ethnicity or gender and activists now want to spur the peace process, be a part of it, and lead the way, if no one else wants to do it. This, therefore, is the first step.
