Global Voices » Cyprus

Europe: EU and LGBT Rights

Filip Stojanovski — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 21:14:15 +0000

Katerina Todorovska wrote [MKD] on the Macedonia in the European Union blog about EU's imperfect record on LGBT rights and its positive influence in relation to starting the debate and improving tolerance in the Western Balkans, as Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia strive to join this supranational structure.

Northern Cyprus: Rihanna's Concert

Veronica Khokhlova — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:31:18 +0000

Greater Surbiton writes about the controversy surrounding Rihanna's upcoming concert in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Video: The world commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall

Juliana Rincón Parra — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:59:26 +0000

Berlin Wall by Natalie Maynor

Today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a complex security structure that once divided East and West Berlin in Germany. Today we are showcasing some of the videos from throughout the globe that are being uploaded to commemorate this date and what it meant to barriers not only in Germany, but throughout the world.

In Germany, a series of giant domino pieces crafted out of foam were erected, to be toppled down to mark the end of the Cold War. This video by NoCommentTV shows the dominoes, which were painted by children in Germany and also by artists living in other areas where there are divisions and walls, being set up. This other video's embed option has been disabled, but you can view how the dominoes were toppled by clicking this link to see it on its YouTube page.

In Colombia, students reenact the fall of the wall, by taking turns to demolish a concrete slab:

From Germany, domino toppling fan Annodomino2007 has uploaded his own domino tribute to the fall of the wall, and also to the 10 year anniversary celebration which kickstarted his passion for dominoes:

In the USA, college students erected a replica of the Berlin Wall that could be written on, as a way to raise awareness:

From Mexico, VarinVxx uploads a video featuring another wall that is still standing, in: Is not Berlin, is not Palestine is US Mexico border The Wall of Shame in USA :

Krista Schyler also makes the comparison between the Mexico/US wall and the Berlin wall, in this case, not only focusing on the impact on human migration, but from a wildlife conservation angle as well:

This pilot for a documentary by Ziashere showing s other walls that are still standingIn this pilot, one in Ireland:

This last video is 2 years old, but is still relevant: adamfilmaker interviewed youth both from the North and South of the Nicosia wall in Cyprus, a green zone patrolled by UN blue helmets that divides Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, earning the distinction of being the last divided capital of the world.

Image by Natalie Maynor used on post according to Creative Commons Attribution License.

Palestine: “Free Gaza” Boats Waiting In Cyprus

Ayesha Saldanha — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:39:23 +0000

The Free Gaza Movement have produced a video showing their attempts to leave Cyprus and sail to Gaza with medical and reconstruction supplies.

Europe: Entropa

Veronica Khokhlova — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:06:39 +0000

Belatedly, links to some posts on Entropa: Margarete of The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia believes “it should be taken down”; Kosmopolito thinks that “the debate around the project is also part of the installation”; BBC's Mark Mardell writes that “the fact that it is a hoax does not mean that the art itself is bad”; Blue, Black and White Alert doesn't think Entropa is “that incendiary”; A Fistful of Euros considers Entropa “an ugly but really funny piece of work.”

Cyprus: Banning Turkish Placenames in GPS Systems

Deborah Ann Dilley — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:10:48 +0000

The Cyprus government is currently attempting to ban GPS systems that use Turkish place names in the Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, Homeboy Media News reports:

The Ministry of Education and Culture meanwhile has come up with some additional reasoning for the campaign to ban the GPS receivers. In its feedback, the Ministry pointed out that the Greek place names of Cyprus have been shaped throughout the centuries. It is a fact that the Turkish “so-called authorities” have indeed undertaken a systematic campaign to alter the nomenclature of occupied northern Cyprus. Further, the Ministry pointed out that, according to both the UN and UNESCO, placenames are part of a nation’s cultural heritage.

North Cyprus: The Opera Comes to Town

Deborah Ann Dilley — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:39:11 +0000

“One thing that's definitely in short supply here in North Cyprus is opera, so I'm thrilled that no less than 21 opera stars are performing in Kyrenia on September 14th,” writes Kathy from North Cyprus Blogs. Opera singers from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Northern Cyprus, Bashkor-tostan and Tatarstan will be performing various traditional opera arias from Middle East culture.

Cyprus: A New Water Solution

Deborah Ann Dilley — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:48:16 +0000

The Cyprus Blog posts a video of a humorous, yet innovative, way of solving the water shortage problem in Cyprus. Of course it does involve stealing the water from your neighbors' water surplus tank and putting it into your own tank, but as long as no one has a video camera to catch you doing it at the break of day you're fine, right?

Northern Cyprus: Similarities with Georgia?

Deborah Ann Dilley — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:05:32 +0000

While discussing the plight of unrecognized states, blog Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus states that “If Russia does decide to recognize Georgia’s two separatist regions, they’d be in a diplomatic situation similar to North Cyprus.”

Serbia: Kosovo - “A Balkan Taiwan”?

Veronica Khokhlova — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:17:53 +0000

A Fistful of Euros writes about Kosovo: “So we’re going to end up with a Balkan Taiwan: a de facto state without a UN seat, recognized by some nations but not others.”

Jamaica: Commonwealth Games

Georgia Popplewell — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 01:50:12 +0000

Leon wonders why the 18th Commonwealth Games aren't getting more media attention. “Is it because the mighty U.S is not involved, since the Commonwealth games only include former territories of Britain? (But wait, America is a former territory of Britain!).”