Beyond the Green Line

Days 2 through 8 -- Classes, Tours and Official Visits

2009-05-28T04:54:00.000-07:00

Day 2 Class and Lefkoşa Tour
Our morning class, taught by Dr. Jouni Suistola, focused on the social and political legacies of the Ottoman and British empires in Cyprus. The central point is that each empire left behind structures, attitudes, and concepts that have continued to shape the understandings of the situation in Cyprus. Both communities, Greek and Turkish, are the inheritors of positive and negative traits that are left over. Professor Suistola presented a strong argument that some of these past inheritances represent an obstacle to the future solutions just by the way they govern how each community views itself as well as the other; but he also noted several of the inheritances represent unrealized and potential pathways to a solution as well. But as was made clear earlier, Turkish Cypriots feel that “we are not able to build our own peace” so despite any peril and potential derived from their past, there is still the issue of third parties to contend with.
In the afternoon Professor Suistola led the group on a walking tour of the old city of Nicosia/Lefkoşa. The old walled city, now divided almost exactly in half by the Green Line, is an example of Lusignan and Venetian architecture with eleven arrow-head shaped bastions and sloping walls; it was designed to be state of the art and to give the advantage to the defenders. The Selimiye Camii (mosque), old Hamam, Büyuk Han (Great Inn) with its mesquite, the old Armenian quarter, a Catholic church that sits inside the zone, and the bazaar were among the sights he pointed out and we explored. The Camii was once a Lusignan church and was constructed in the style of Chartres and Rouen in France and sits right next to a Greek Orthodox church being restored. The Great Inn which once hosted Arab and Muslim travelers is today an arts & crafts center full of shops and cafes. We ended our tour with a final stop at the Laedra Street crossing point, which two years ago when I was last here was closed and the surrounding homes were covered in posters and graffiti protesting the division’s impact on the Turkish people. Today those signs and symbols are gone, the area is revitalized, shops are open and there are many people freely crossing. Not us. Not yet…

Day 3 Class and U.S. Embassy Office Visit
Our breakfasts here are very European, which is not surprising. They consist of meats, cheeses, vegetables, bread, and çay (tea); very tasty. They make a cheese that can only be found here, known as hellimi, which is like mozzarella but is brined and a bit more “rubbery” in consistency. It is delicious if eaten sliced, but it is fantastic when grilled and served atop tomatoes. Unfortunately with USDA rules we are prohibited from brining any such food products back to the United States.

Our class today was taught by Dr. Şakir Alemdar and focused on the Cyprus conflict from 1960 to 1974, the most tumultuous period and the period that has left the greatest impact—psychologically, politically, and economically—on the peoples today. Dr. Alemdar helped us to examine our concerns over the way in which the events of the 1960s and 70s were shaped by outside actors acting in their own best interests and letting the effects of those decisions play havoc with the peoples of Cyprus without any regard for the full-blown effects. England, the United States, Greece, and Turkey all share blame for the current division in Cyprus as each has made decisions (or not raised objections to the decisions of another) that has caused violence, exacerbated the rift between the two communities, and which has been detrimental to Cyprus. The British pull out in 1960 was ill-conceived and done so only in a way that benefited the British (and allowed them to retain the British Sovereign Areas / BSA bases). The collapse of the constitution in 1963 showed how futile the idea of power sharing would be after nearly a century of British-caused divisions and tensions. The United States was only too happy to reaffirm Britain’s moves so long as Cyprus did not become her problem. Even during the violence of 1963 and 1964 the British and Americans stood by and did nothing, leading to the ultimate need for the UN to move in. The Greek Junta’s actions and ultimate support for the coup d’état in 1974 and the Turkish intervention that same year are the central events that we are still dealing with today.

Our afternoon visit with to the Office of the US Embassy for a frank and (mostly) off-the-record (or “on background” as they say) conversation about the US role in the ongoing division and our objectives here. As diplomats, the representatives we spoke to presented the US positions well. They speak for our government and for our entire nation and thus they must be careful in their wording and present a coherent and consistent policy. Our nation’s official stance is that we are encouraging the two communities to address the division through the on-going negotiations and that we support such bilateral talks. We only recognize the Republic of Cyprus as the international government but we have, since 1962, given support to bi-communal programs and given aid to the Turkish community to support their efforts at education, economic survival, and cultural programming. It was an important visit in terms of understanding the situation and we are thankful that our Embassy’s staff gave us so much of their valuable time to answer our questions.

Day 4 Travel to St. Barnabas, Salamis, Famagusta, and the Karpas Peninsula
We left early today so that we could see as many of the sights on the northeast coast of the island as possible. With Mamet, our driver (who is teaching me Turkish as we drive) we headed first to the site of St. Barnabas Abbey and Chapel. The story of Barnabas is unique in that he was martyred, secretly buried (with a copy of St. Matthew’s Bible on his chest) and those followers who buried him quickly left the island, so his resting place was unknown for several hundred years. When he was finally found a chapel was built on top of his crypt and a Monastery nearby. Today the Monastery is used as an icon and archeological museum.

We then left to visit nearby Salamis, one of the most important Roman/Byzantine port cities in the Mediterranean. The ruins are vast and impressive. From the ancient gymnasium where the bodies of statues and the supporting columns still stand to the painted mosaics which still tenuously cling to the ceiling of some archways, to the granite tiled floors of the baths, the site is among the most extensive outside of Greece. The great street leading from the amphitheater to the village area is still clearly visible and the amphitheater itself, now only a third of its original size, is still an impressive sight. It is a place that could use more active excavation and preservation and I wish that such sites were not used as political tools in the division but that both sides could come to an agreement to actively preserve the history of the island now.
Our trip then took us into Famagusta to visit the old city center and the Tower of Othello. Most people forget that Othello takes place, from Act II to the end, here in Cyprus and that the intersections of light and dark, good and bad, Christian and Muslim, take place here because Cyprus was a crossing point for the Crusades and a liminal place where these intersections were sometimes blown out of proportion. We have a lot to learn about the present day conflict just by reading Shakespear. The tower is in good shape and overlooks the harbor and the old city walls. The old city, older than the walled community within Lefkosa, also holds an Lusignan castle (the remains thereof) and several dozen if not hundreds of places of worship. The camii was once known as the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and is his burial place. The Lusignan kings were crowned here and it is the finest example of Gothic architecture outside of France and is built in the same style as Notre Dame. Outside its central door is growing an 800+ year old olive tree. The other sites throughout the old city are sites that were important to the Knights Templar and Hospitaller. Semper ubique!

We then left for a quick look over the wall and into Varosha, “the ghost city”. This is the area of Famagusta that was once the central heart of Cypriot tourism. Today and since 1974 it sits empty, guarded by Turkish troops with one UN building for monitoring, but otherwise completely deserted and in decay. The Turkish Cypriot community wants to use it as a bargaining chip, since they mostly own the land upon which it sits but the Greek community had leased the waft lands to build the hotels and shops. But though they have come close once or twice, neither side has been willing to give on the matter.

From there it was off to lunch in an incredible place along the way to Karpas. It was a traditional Cypriot lunch of meze (appetizers) and roasted meat along with bread and fabulous deserts. The restaurant sits in a grotto cave, accessed by stairs from above and the other guests were there celebrating, doing traditional Cypriot Turkish dances and showing us how to have a good time. It was a great choice for lunch and an experience that is not to be missed.

Finally we drove out the peninsula to visit the Apostle Andreas Monastery, which is still in Greek hands, to see villages in the region that are still mixed Greek and Turkish, to visit the wild donkey preservation area, and to swim. Karpas is unlike any other place in Cyprus. Because the Turkish intervention took place to the south and west it remained untouched. Today you can drive through Dipkarpaz and still see a Turkish and a Greek café sitting side by side. Because of its geography it is also unique in its flora and fauna. The wild donkeys roam throughout the region but there is one set protection area as well. They are great animals and seemed plentiful throughout the area. When we visited the Monastery there was one Greek woman tending to the church. Our Turkish hosts politely asked if we could enter and then they themselves backed out. It is an impressive church with many typical elements of a Greek Orthodox church and yet its location and the age of the congregation make you feel like you are still in the 17th or 18th centuries. After a quick swim in the sea we were headed back to Lefkosa having spent more than 12 hours on the road and touring.

Day 5 St. Hilarion’s Castle and Kyrenia
St. Hilarion’s highest point sits more than 1,000 feet above you when you first enter the stone gate. Every step is an adventure. The site is both well-preserved and well used. There are towers at every stage (there are three primary stages) and plenty of nooks and crannies throughout. It is said that Walt Disney drew some inspiration from Hilarion for the castle of Snow White…not the spires but the lower and more solid parts of the castle. It is amazing how it was built right into the mountain at various parts and even today some of the castle is hard to spot from the outside, it blends so well into the surrounding rock. The castle was also the location of some significant fighting between EOKA and TMT in the 1960s and was also an objective for the Turkish military and Turkish Cypriot forces in 1974. Even today there is a Turkish military training ground nearby.

We left Hilarion and went to a grocery store in Girne and bought some food and drinks for a picnic. We chose traditional Cypriot foods of patatas, dolomus, and more and finished it off with some baklava. We picnicked right near where we planned to go swimming and spent the next four hours basking on the beach and swimming in the waters of the sea. It was a restful day. We finished off the day with a relaxing meal at a restaurant in Lefkosa, where I had a kuzu şiş (lamb shish-kabob) that was quite good.

Day 6 Class and Visit with former Mufti
After the weekend of travel and exploration we were back in the class for the coming week. Today’s class focused on the Cyprus problem from a peace and conflict resolution perspective. It was quite informative, as taught by Dr. Khashman, to learn about all of the efforts and theories put forth to solve the Cyprus problem. As we learned, some of the best diplomats in the world have tried and failed to solve the problems. Dr. Khashman outlined for us the many topics that are under discussion, including the six that are part of the ongoing negotiations. The most pressing issues are governance, power, security and guarantees, property, and the establishment of territory. Both sides are working from the agreed upon notion of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. There are also many informal attempts to solve the Cyprus problem, ones that work through NGO programs to bring the peoples together. These are not trivial. A recent book on the role of the UN in Cpyrus put it bluntly that the political solutions have failed to bring the people to a state of desired reconciliation and unification so it is in the realm of these other more communal programs that these changes must, seemingly, be effected.

The students went off for the afternoon to do their own explorations—some to the library—while I met with the former Mufti and now HIS Partei leader, Ahmet Yönlüer to discuss the issue of Islam in Cyprus. Our conversation was wide-ranging and Mr. Yönlüer is a man who holds his convictions. He believes that the loss of Islamic identity in Cyprus has been a loss for the society and that, in agreement with a recent statement by Tony Blair, religion must become a part of the conversation to a solution to any society’s problems. There is not call for Cyprus to become a religious state and the people here fear that and vigilantly guard their status as a secular state, but there is no doubt that Islam is changing in Cyprus and will have to be addressed. The most important question I asked him and will ask others, including the current Mufti, is if Islam will have to take on a more significant role and nearly institutional role in a government in a united Cyprus to address and even, perhaps, counter, the strength of the political and social role played by Greek Orthodoxy among the Greek Cypriot community. He believed that it would but that the parameters of that “elevation” would have to be carefully constructed.

One item that Mr. Yönlüer served me as his guest were preserved walnuts. They are picked while still green and preserved in a grape sauce and are the tastiest thing you ever had! The process is called macun and at first bite the walnut (you eat the shell and all, but since it is not yet hardened you can’t really tell) is a bit sour, but it is a perfect match to the soft, sweet inner core.

Day 7 Visit Turkish Embassy, Pile, and Murat Aga and Sandallar
Our morning began with a visit to the Turkish Embassy here and a meeting with the Ambassador, the Honorable Mr. Şakir Fakili. This is his second posting to Cyprus, and in between it was 20 years. He noted how much has changed and how much has remained the same and that he thinks very highly of Cyprus and its people. He noted that Turkey’s role here in Cyprus is to support the people of the Turkish Cypriot community in whatever path they choose to follow. He is very eager to see the outcome of the ongoing negotiations and hopes that the people are able to effect a successful bi-zonal, bi-communal settlement that will bring and end to the division. He is very proud of the role that Turkey has played in Cyprus, protecting the people and putting an end to the aggression of the 1963-64 period and stopping the coup of 1974 but more importantly of the aid which the Turkish government has given the Cypriots. Indeed, at times when the international community has failed to live up to its promises of breaking isolations and embargoes, Turkey has been one of the few nations to see its way to assist the Turkish Cypriots. Only Turkey recognizes the government of the TRNC and only Turkey has helped break the isolation through such channels as trade, banking, communications, and transportation. But there are others (the US and the EU) who have given other things to the community as we will learn.

From there we left to take the students to see the memorial grave sites of the victims of the massacres of August 1974, when, as the Turkish troops were advancing on the region of Famagusta and closing the gap in their lines, Greek and Greek Cypriot fighters murdered the elderly, the women, and the children of three villages and threw their bodies into mass graves. The bodies were later excavated and removed to two memorial sites where today local villagers, some of them the survivors of these massacres, tend to the graves and the flowers and plants that surround them. The actual mass graves remain untouched and are part of the memorials, though they are out in fields, where the victims had been marched before being shot. It needs to be acknowledged that such violence took place on both sides of the conflict. The violence of war often leads to atrocities and usually no side is innocent. What happened in 1974 has to be seen in terms of a, albeit brief, war and the escalation of hatreds by both the Greek and Turkish fighters resulted in lasting trauma for both peoples.

Today we were in England…but only for a few brief minutes as our bus passed to and from Pile. To get to Pile, a village which lies in the only are of unfortified green zone, you must go through one of the BSA areas and since these are considered as much a part of England as London, we were officially on British soil. Cool? Not really. It is much like Guantanamo Bay to the Cubans. Pile is a mixed village where a Turkish café and a Greek café sit diagonally across the street from one another with a UN post atop a building watching over both. There is not much to the village, really, as it is quite unremarkable. But this was the place where the people of Cyprus could, before 2003, meet without restriction, where they could discuss their issues, where they could retain their connections. Those who wish can still do so today, but with the opening of the other gates much closer to the population centers, Pile has lost its relevance. We were unable to take our bus past the checkpoint because our driver is a Turkish citizen. The north does not want to be seen as some back door to immigration issues with the EU, so they are the ones who carefully guard the border here.

Day 8 Class, EU North Office, President Talat Visit
Our morning class began with a discussion of the external actors in the Cyprus conflict, and focused mainly on the little known role of the United States as well as the better known role of the UN. There are others and we will meet with those who represent those views later, especially the British. The US played a role, whether it was direct or indirect, official or unofficial, we were pulling or attempting to pull the strings in Cyprus. From our blocking of resolutions to condemn Turkey in the NATO Council in 1974 to our earlier efforts to keep Greece and Turkey from going to war so as to preserve the 1958 compact among NATO nations. It is clear that we saw Cyprus as important (although that importance declined significantly after Reagan became president and refused to even appoint an envoy) and used it as a part of our larger game of chess during the Cold War. All of our decisions that impacted Cyprus had to do with the extent to which we feared a Soviet expansion. But in the UN we and the world community have also made it clear that the division is untenable and that we protest the self-proclamations of the Turkish peoples, especially 1983. All of our support in the UN has been toward the recognized government of Cyprus (even though we admit that at times this has been a mistake) and we are thus cornered on our role in presenting a solution. As far as the UN goes as independent actors, it is the agency through which a solution must come. While the Annan Plan is “dead” it is still the majority of the framework of a solution.

Our meeting with the President of the TRNC, President Talat was an informative hour. The students were nervous yet impressed that he would take the time to talk to a small group of American students. The President was candid in his remarks and feels that under his leadership and in equal partnership with the President of the Republic of Cyprus that the two will be able to achieve unification through the parameters of a bi-zonal, bi-communal government. He agreed with a statement made that “now is the time” and it is the best time to achieve a solution. He called the ongoing talks “progressive” and is optimistic, even in the face of some setbacks. He explained his role in the Parliamentary system, that he only really deals with the external issues (meaning seeking a solution) while the Parliament of the people handles the domestic issues. He explored how the isolation has been an issue but that it is not a topic of the ongoing negotiations because should a settlement be reached, it is a moot point. We were grateful that he gave us the time to explain the conflict from the perspective of the head of the administration.

We then went to what turned out to be a very good and candid meeting at the EU program support office in the North. The staff members (who will not be mentioned by name) shared with us all the projects and programs that the EU has promoted in the North (with the support of the Republic of Cyprus) although one member noted that it was only one of three proposals that were put forward, so the two others have been blocked. What does the Republic gain by these programs (i.e., why do they let them continue to happen)? The possibility that when Cyprus unifies that the North will not be as undeveloped as they have been and that the EU will have taken great strides to bring the two sides to parity long before a unification occurs. With more than 259 million Euros in this overarching program budget the support office has sponsored scholarships, programming, and development, including a new wastewater treatment plant (they will be breaking ground soon), a desalination plant (again, breaking ground soon) and replacing sewer and water pipes in old Lefkosa. It is impressive that the administration of the North has identified areas of the EU communitaire aci that they want to follow, so it is a real positive in the process of negotiations. It is also impressive that the Republic does want these programs to continue, even when there is some distrust as to the potential outcome. Both sides are to be commended on this point.

Day 2 -- Cyprus / Seminar 1 and Lefkosia Walking Tour

2009-05-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

Our first seminar was with Dr. Jounı Suistola, a Finnish-Cypriot, and the Vice-Rector of NEU. He is an Ottoman specialist and also works on the Cold War. His seminar was on the Socıo-political legacies of the Ottoman ve British Empires in Cyprus. ("ve" means and in Türkish).
We learned a great deal about how the Ottoman system laid both many of the positive and problematic facets of the contemporary problem. Dr. Suistola discussed the concepts of imagined communities and also the role of the millet system as well as the significant role of Orientalism--all historical features and yet very current too. The problem was not created or sustained by one peoples but by many; both Greek and Ottoman/Türk developments laid the groundwork and led to the entrenchment of the problems to come.

From there after a great lunch we were off to tour Lefkosia. From the Grand Bazaar to the Camıı (mosque) to the crossing points at Laedra Palace and Laedra Street (two different checkpoints) we toured the ancient walls of the city, got up close to the Green Line, and found ourselves in the midst of beautiful neighborhoods--ıncluding the old Armenian neighborhood. At the end of one street is a Catholic Church--the entrance is on the north-side of the Green Line, but the rest of the church stands in the zone, with ıts rear southern exit actually in the South, but egress there is not permitted. A soccer field also stands in the middle of the zone where kids were playing a quick pick-up game. Hopefully we will attend a concert there on Saturday.

We also had our first meeting with the US Embassy officials to begin discussions about a bi-communal program and more efforts in our relationship with NEU. There will be more details about this in the coming posts, plus, hopefully a surprise.

Cyprus -- Day 1

2009-05-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Orientatıon Day. We were up and out the door by 10 am for our fırst meeting. We toured campus and went to our classroom for the next 21 days. After a 2 hour dıscussıon about the context of the Cyprus problem, the US ın the Middle East and a review of our schedule, we met up with students and faculty of NEU for lunch. Over lunch we shared our ideas about the subjects we wıll be studying and how they affect the state of the peoples in both communities ın Cyprus. From lunch we then took a bus tour to Kyrenia and Bellapais Abbey. The Abbey was buılt by the French Chrıstıans who settled in the island ın the 12th century and over the years has served as everything from a field hospital durıng WWI to a source of stone for the wharfs of southern Cyprus. Today the ruins are well-preserved and overlook the vast expanse of the northern coast. We then traveled down to Kyrenia harbor for a walk along the sea, strolling the promenade, and sat down for çay (tea) and a conversatıon with four students--two Cypriot and two Turkish. Their opinions about the Cyprus problem, the US, and the entire state of world affairs were wıde-ranging and in many respects surprising. One of the Cypriot students actually felt that the existence of the TRNC has been a negative force in her life and she feels that the best path to unification would be to disolve the republic and begin negotations from thereö truly as two communitıes. Another was adamant that the "reality on the ground" is essential to protecting the rights of Cypriots as citızens. We will pursue this topic with them more and in more detail.

For those of you reading this forgive me if the posts are slow or have erros; I am working with a Turkish keyboard (many keys are in different places and harder to type with in English) and limited access. But the good news is that my Türkish is improving rapıdly.

Istanbul--Day 2

2009-05-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

Day 2 was filled wıth rug shoppıng, walkıng through the Spıce Bazaar (which is where the people of Istanbul shop for their everyday items), and visits to the Islam ve Ottoman Museum and the Cistern caverns. Istanbul never ceases to amaze. The sights and sounds of the various languages, the vendors, the daily life of the people--it is all so exciting. It is a city of millions with many different neighborhoods and the central part is very walkable for those wishıng to see that part. If not there ıs always the Tram. The night before we went to Istikal Cadisi where we strolled the 2.5 km and took in the sights of the city,s central pedestrian boulevard.
At 8 we met up with the final three students in the airport and caught our flight to Cyprus. We arrıved at Erçan Airport at 11:30 and were settled in at Near East Universıty by 1:30 am.

Istanbul and the Grand Bazaar

2009-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Three of us traveled to Istanbul for a few days of learning about the Cyprus problem from the Turkish perspective. We wanted to get a feeling of how the common Turk thinks about the issue. In the Grand Bazaar I met up with several shoppers as well as shop owners. Tayfun, who has a degree from a Turkish technical university was very direct in his statements...Cyprus is not JUST Greek, but it has long been a land of multiple peoples and one that needs to respect that. He supports the existence of the TRNC but also supports the ongoing talks for unification, but only if the Turkish Cypriots remain protected and also distinct. He fears the Greek Cypriot intentions..."why else would they, an independent country, with membership in the EU, continue to fly the Greek flag when they are a sovereign nation." His companion, who wished to remain anonymous, wanted to know if enosis is still an objective. "If they are Cypriots, then they need to act like it and remove the presence of Greece." When asked about the presence of Turkey, he demurred a bit, only to say that the Turkish Cypriots still need protection and nobody else has given them sovereign recognition. All very complex. We will see next how others feel in tomorrow's post.

Trip Overview

2009-05-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

Our trip begins in just a few days. There are five students going: Micaela, Tabitha, Megan, Ben, and Robbie. Each of them wants to learn more about how and why a society can remain so divided over factors that seem so foreign to an American citizen--but factors which are very real to many other peoples throughout the world.

Tabitha and Megan will be spending a few extra days in Istanbul with me before the academic portion of the trip where we will see the sights but also seek to understand the Cyprus issue within the Turkish context.

Our basic schedule looks like this:

Mandatory Arrival Day
Tuesday, May 19
. Arrive in Istanbul at 17:00
. Depart Istanbul for Cyprus at 22:00 (Erçan Airport / Lefkosia)
. Transfer from Airport to Near East University / B&B

Academic Program Week 1
Wednesday, May 20
. Introduction and Program Overview, Bowers & Khashman
. Walking Tour: Nicosia/Lefkosia Walled City

Thursday, May 21
. Class: Socio-Political Legacies of Ottoman Empire and British Colonial Cyprus, NEU Faculty
. Bus Tour: Bellapais and Hiliaron Abbeys, and Kyrenia

Friday, May 22
. Class: The Republic of Cyprus: 1960 Constitution, power-sharing, inter-communal conflict, and the events of 1974, NEU Faculty
. Guest Visit: Honorable Rauf Denktash, former President, TRNC

Saturday, May 23
. Tour: Karpas Peninsula

Sunday, May 24
. Open Day

Week 2
Monday, May 25
. Class: The Current Situation in Cyprus and efforts at Unification, 1974-2004, NEU Faculty
. Reading / Research / Writing Period

Tuesday, May 26
. Class: Turkish and Greek Cypriot views on the Cyprus Question, NEU Faculty
. Governmental Visits
. President Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister, TRNC
. Visit EU Office in North
. Cultural event in Nicosia/Lefkosa

Wednesday, May 27
. Class: External Actors in the Cyprus Conflict: UN, USA, UK, NEU Faculty
. Visit Office of the UN Special Representative for Cyprus, Mr. Alexander Downer
. UK Representative The Honorable John Hughes Wilson
. Visit with Frank Urbancic, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaryof the United States of America to the Republic of Cyprus

Thursday, May 28
. Class: Politics in Cyprus since the Annan Plan, NEU Faculty
. Lefkosa/Nicosia Museum Tours

Friday, May 29
. Class: The US in the Middle East: Origins to World War II
. Reading / Research / Writing Period

Saturday, May 30
. Open Day

Sunday, May 31
. Open Day

Week 3
Monday, June 1
. Class: Nixon, Kissenger, and the Cold War Middle East
. Tour of Kyrenia, Peace and Freedom Monument and Gravesites

Tuesday, June 2
. Class: Oil, Diplomacy, and Hostages: The US in the Middle East since 1950
. Tour: Pyla/Pile

Wednesday, June 3
. Class: The Modern Middle East in the American Imagination
. Seminar: Dr. J.D. Bowers on Islam and the Cyprus Question
. Tour: Famagusta and Salamis

Thursday, June 4
. Class: The Modern Middle East in the American Imagination
. Reading / Research / Writing Period
. "The Relationship between Turks and Turkish Cypriots" Conference

Friday, June 5
. Class: The US, Cyprus, the Middle East and the Future
. "The Relationship between Turks and Turkish Cypriots" Conference
. Farewell event

Saturday, June 6
. Depart

Keep coming back to see our updates and new posts as we undertake this journey.