The Lions Clubs of Mağusa Mesarya and Nicosia New Generation, the two independent, individual, and undistricted clubs serving in the northern part of Cyprus organised a virtual forum for International Peace Day. The Lions clubs collaborated with KAYAD – The Association of Women To Support Living, the Association of Queer Cyprus and Social Services Specialist Barış Başel to discuss Violence Against Women, Gender Equality and LGBTQ+ Rights in Northern Cyprus.
This is the first time that the two undistricted Cyprus Lions clubs have hosted such a virtual awareness activity for the International Day of Peace.
The Queer Cyprus Association started the first session of the virtual event. Activists Yasemin Taneri and Derviş Taşkıranlar provided up-to-date data on gay rights and initiatives against homophobia in the northern part of Cyprus. The second session, led by Lawyer Mine Atlı, a KAYAD activist, delivered a presentation on the Violence Against Women, Domestic Violence, Istanbul Agreement, and statistical information in Northern Cyprus.
The Social Services Specialist Barış Başel presented the stages of Gender Equality and Social Services in Northern Cyprus.
The online event welcomed the MPs of Northern Cyprus where the lawmakers provided information about the ongoing legislative processes for three discussed topics of the activity.
ID Elena Appiani from MD 108 Italy, PDG Geila L. Wills of MD 410 South Africa, and PDG Sima Sunder of MD 118 Turkey made special appearances and send their short video messages about Peace specifically recorded for the Turkish Cypriot Lions.
On the same day, together with the MGA – The Development Academy of Famagusta, a youth centre, the Lions club of Magusa Mesarya organised a painting exhibition named “Perception of Peace in Children’s Drawings”. The event, in which 33 paintings were exhibited in total, is currently opened to the public in the northern part of Famagusta city.
Lions Club Press Release
