*reporting from Pyla by Stefanos Evripidou
President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman are attending the 6th Pyla Bicommunal Peace Festival together this evening, following an agreement reached at their last meeting to meet in the village for the event. The festival is being held after a seven-year absence, in one of the very few communities where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have continued to live side by side since 1974.
Festival opens at Pyla futsal stadium
The event began at 19:00 at the community’s futsal stadium, with organisers expecting around 2,000 visitors. The festival is intended to send a message of peaceful coexistence and cooperation from Pyla, and carries a distinct political and symbolic character this year because both leaders are attending.
President arrives at the venue
President Christodoulides arrived at the festival grounds at 19:38. A number of people welcomed him in good spirits, and he spent time mingling with those in attendance.
AKEL Secretary General Stefanos Stefanou was already at the venue before the President arrived, as was Khassim Diagne, UNIFCYP Head of Mission.
Evening programme
According to the official programme, welcome speeches were scheduled from 19:30 to 19:45 by Simos Mytides, Greek Cypriot Chairman of the Pyla Community Council, and Veysal Guden, Turkish Cypriot “mukhtar” of Pyla.
Live music by Anna Mosfili and the laiki music company follows from 19:45 to 21:15. From 21:15 to 21:35, the Bicommunal Music and Dance Association Cyprus will perform traditional Cypriot dances. The evening closes with live music by Grup Otantik from 21:35 to 23:00.
The organisers describe the festival as an evening of music, culture and friendship celebrating cooperation and peace in Pyla.
This is a developing story.
