A Turkish Cypriot political leader dancing a traditional Cypriot folk dance alongside a Greek Cypriot counterpart made f...

A Turkish Cypriot political leader dancing a traditional Cypriot folk dance alongside a Greek Cypriot counterpart made for one of the more striking images to come out of Cyprus in recent memory. Tufan Erhürman, leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, joined Stefanos Stefanou, Secretary-General of the left-wing AKEL party, in performing the Tillyrkotissa at the 6th Bicommunal Peace Festival on the evening of October 17 in Pyla. Pyla is one of the last villages on the island where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots still live side by side, sitting inside the UN-controlled buffer zone that divides the island. The festival was organized by the Pyla Community Council and returned after a seven-year break, drawing crowds with live music and traditional dancing. Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus, attended the event and spoke about reunification. He acknowledged that festivals like this one cannot by themselves solve the Cyprus problem, but said they build trust between the two communities. He also said he was hoping for progress at his next meeting with Erhürman. Also present was Khashim Diagne, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative in Cyprus, along with political figures from both communities. Simos Mytidis, the Greek Cypriot community leader of Pyla, said the daily coexistence of the village's residents proves that cooperation between the two sides is possible. The Cyprus issue has remained unresolved since Turkey's military intervention in 1974, now 52 years ago, which divided the island along lines that still hold today. #Cyprus #CyprusPeace #Bicommunal