UNFICYP: Recent Episodes

UNFICYP

Podcast by UNFICYP

🎙️Tune in to #UNFICYP’s Out Loud podcast! As we gear up to mark #PeaceDay, we invited Loizos Loukaidis, the Director of the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research (AHDR) and their Education Project Officer, Melis Guvensoy Okalper, to discuss their current initiatives as well as their upcoming event to celebrate International Day of Peace.In Cyprus, AHDR contributes to the advancement of historical understanding amongst the public and more specifically amongst children, youth, and educators by providing access to learning opportunities for individuals, based on the respect for diversity and dialogue.Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

PeaceBegins when #YouthLead!Tune in to this edition and listen to a conversation with two inspiring young Cypriots, Emmelia Pitri and Melis Erkmen who are Secretary-Generals of the Inter-Communal Youth Diplomacy Conference, talk about their upcoming conference and how they are advancing the @UN Sustainable Development Goals in #Cyprus.

🎙️Tune in to #UNFICYP’s Out Loud podcast!As we mark #WorldRefugeeDay, we partnered with UNHCR Cyprus to share a series of interviews with refugees and asylum-seekers living in #Cyprus. We hear about the perils of their journeys, their hopes, and dreams and how, despite their challenges, they are building better futures.In our final episode in this series, join us and listen to Balqees, a recognised refugee from Somalia tell us about her journey to Cyprus, alone at age 15, and how she has faced her fears, pursued her education, and, with hope and courage, dreams big for the future as an independent young woman. 🩵Let’s come together in solidarity with refugees. Today and always. Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

🎙️Tune in to #UNFICYP’s Out Loud podcast!This week, on the occasion of #WorldRefugeeDay, we partnered with UNHCR Cyprus to share a series of interviews with refugees and asylum-seekers living in Cyprus. We hear about the perils of their journeys, their hopes, and dreams and how, despite their challenges, they are building better futures.In today’s episode, join us and listen to Stephane, a recognised refugee from Cameroon, tell us about his empowerment journey, the challenges faced by the refugee community on the island, and how he has gone from being a volunteer to establishing his own organisation that supports refugee rights and integration. From advocacy for refugees living with disabilities to activities like the 1st African Fashion Show, Stephane’s work gives voice and visibility to refugees in Cyprus. Let’s come together in solidarity with refugees. Today and always. Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Tune in to #UNFICYP’s Out Loud podcast!This week, on the occasion of #WorldRefugeeDay, we partnered with @UNHCRCyprus to share a series of interviews with refugees and asylum-seekers living in Cyprus. We hear about the perils of their journeys, their hopes, and dreams and how, despite their challenges, they are building better futures.In today’s episode, join us and listen to Parwana, a young woman from Afghanistan tell us about her passion for education, why she was forced to flee her homeland, what gives her courage and strength, and her hopes and dreams for the future—for herself, and for all refugee women and girls.UNFICYPLet’s come together in solidarity with refugees. Today and always.

🎙️Tune in to #UNFICYP’s Out Loud Podcast!This week, on the occasion of World Refugee Day, we partnered with @UNHCRCyprus to share a series of interviews with refugees and asylum-seekers living in Cyprus. We hear about the perils of their journeys, their hopes, and dreams and how, despite their challenges, they are building better futures.In this edition, join us and listen to Adam speak about his journey as a refugee from Syria and how people in #Cyprus and around the 🌍 can support those who are forced to flee their homes.Let’s come together in solidarity with refugees. Today and always. #WorldRefugeeDayPresenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP’s monthly podcast “Out Loud”, in this edition we had a conversation around this year's International Women’s Day theme: “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”This year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind.Join us and listen to as we interview uniformed personnel in UNFICYP and civilians on how to advance women’s and girls’ rights, promote gender equality and foster empowerment.Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud, in this edition we are pleased to speak with two brilliant young Cypriots, Ilayda Taşkaya and Maria Kranou about their participation in the Youth Champion’s for Environment and Peace programme led by the Mission's Civil Affairs Section. Tune in to learn more about their projects and how young people in Cyprus are coming together to tackle environmental issues across the divide and their hopes for the future of the island. The UN Youth Champions for Environment and Peace programme is implemented in collaboration with the British Council in Cyprus. Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud, in this edition, we interview the Mission's newly arrived Senior Police Advisor, Chief Superintendent Mingzhu Xu.Tune in and listen to Mingzhu speak about her experiences in other peacekeeping operations, to discuss law and order inside the buffer zone and her vision for UNPOL’s work in 2025.Presenter: Ersin Öztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud, in this edition we are marking the Mission's commitment to end violence against women and girls during the 16 days global campaign against gender-based violence. We had a conversation with Katerina Stephanou from Step Up Stop Slavery; Mine Yucel, from Prologue Consulting and Lauren McAlister, UNFICYP's Gender Affairs Officer to discuss human trafficking and other forms of violence women and girls experience and what ways to address these issues. Tune in to learn more about their work and their efforts in providing support to victims and survivors of violence.Join us and together we can prevent violence against women, stop its escalation, provide adequate services to survivors and punish perpetrators. Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud, in this edition, we interview Michelle Angela Hamelin and Ron Bragdon, two Canadian veterans who served in Cyprus since the Mission was established in 1964.This year the mission is marking 60 years of presence on the island and several veterans who served in UNFICYP from around the world arrived in November to attend ceremonies, understand the Mission's current operations and to pay tribute to fellow peacekeepers. Tune in and listen to them sharing their experiences representing Canada while serving for peace. Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud, in this edition, we interview the Chief of Strategic Communications Section Nick Birnback who arrived from New York Headquarters to visit UNFICYP.Tune in and listen to Nick talk about the different communication needs that are faced by different UN Missions and explains how strategic communications plays an important role in tackling common misconceptions about the role of the UN.Presenter: Ersin Öztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP’s monthly podcast “Out Loud”. In September, UNFICYP hosted an art advocacy event where two Cypriot artists, Ramadan Naldjioglou and Vicky Panagi, came together with young people from across the divide and peacekeepers, to paint a mural under the theme: “Our Common Future begins with Peace”. As this month we mark World Artist Day, we invited them to talk about their work, how art is a form of activism and how it can bring people together. Listen to their interview as we celebrate artists in Cyprus and around the world. Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP’s monthly podcast out loud. This month, we celebrate the role of Cypriot youth in pushing forward innovation and collaboration towards achieving sustainable development for all.Tune in to this edition and listen to a conversation with two inspiring young Cypriots, Güzide Sofi and Rafail Dimitriou, talk about how they are engaging with youth through digital and traditional platforms. They both helped organize the third Local Conference of Youth on the island. This year, the group took a bold step, shifting their focus from policy discussions to hands-on advocacy and together, are crafting plans to drive change on a local and regional level.

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud, in this edition, we interview the Mission's newly arrived Force Commander, Major General Erdenebat Batsuuri, of Mongolia.This year the United Nations is marking 76 years of UN peacekeeping, and here in Cyprus, UNFICYP, which is one of the longest running peacekeeping missions, is marking 60 years in the service of peace. Tune in and listen to Major General Batsuuri talk about his experiences in other peacekeeping operations, his first impressions of Cyprus and learn more about the work of our peacekeepers on the island.Presenter: Ersin Öztoycan

Tune in to the latest edition of UNFICYP's monthly podcast and listen to two incredible Cypriot women: Sophia Papamichalopoulos and Melek Kaptanoglu, who are leading the Winds of Change, the first NGO in Cyprus to pioneer circumnavigating the island this year. Listen to their inspirational story, the challenges they overcame and how sports can help bring communities together.

As we join the world to mark International Day of Peace, tune in to our special edition of UNFICYP's podcast and listen to how peacekeepers and Cypriots from across the divide are advancing their ambitions for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on the island.

Welcome to UNFICYP’s monthly podcast out loud. Tune in to this edition and listen to a conversation with two inspiring young Cypriots, Romanos Tofis and Gizem Öner, talk about green skills for youth and how they are tackling environmental issues in Cyprus.

Welcome to UNFICYP’s monthly Podcast “Out Loud”. In this edition we welcome Magda Antreou, Faika Deniz Pasha and Angeliki Kourri, who have joined us to talk about “HERstory for peace”, an initiative of a series of workshops where women from across the divide had a chance to present and share the stories of Cypriot women, often unheard in public spaces.

Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Complete list of HERstories:

Women’s political rights at the Cyprus Independence [by Chrystalla Panagiotou]
ÖZEL VASIF: Cypriot female tennis player [by Münise Alibeyoğlu]
Grandmother [by Aggela Ioannou-Loizou]
I'm Cemaliye! Far ahead of Zeki's dead body [by Zerrin Kabaoglu]
The Maestro of Peace - Biography for Lena Melanidou [by Andromachi Pieridou-Ioulia Schiza]
Girls sold to Arabs [by Nehir Kartal]
The story of Afet [by Gülçin Keleşzade]
Lula Stavrou Roti - Bright example for the struggles of women and the working class [by Eleni Evagorou]
Feri Cansel [by Müge Göymen]
Not taking no for an answer [by Mary Pyrgou]
Migrant Domestic Workers: Thou shalt… or not… [by Anthoula Papadopoulou]
kaleidHERscope – a platform for Women’s Voices [by Magda Zenon]
Dean Street [by Maria Georgiou]
The invisibility of women with disabilities [by Mikaella Mihail]
HERStory Unleashed: A Chance Encounter [by Anna Prodromou, Ifigenia Katchie, Beran Kufi and Alexandra Eleftheriou]

Welcome to UNFICYP’s monthly Podcast “Out Loud”. In this edition we welcome Alexandros Efstathiou one of the founders of Queer Collective CY, and Erman Dolmacı, an activist of the Queer Cyprus Association, who have joined us to talk about LGBTQ rights in Cyprus, their organizations and the work they are doing.

This pride month let's make a commitment to advance and protect the human rights of LGBTQ people in Cyprus and around the world.

Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Tune in to this special edition of UNFICYP's podcast out loud and listen to a conversation with Mustafa Ongun, from the Mission's Civil Affairs Section, together with Rémy Mérieux, from the Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Center and Sotiris Themistokleous, from the Center for Social Innovation talking about the importance of building bridges and the potential of supporting intercommunal business and entrepreneur organizations on the island.

Presenter: Ersin Öztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud, in this edition, we interview UNFICYP's Force Chief of Staff, Benedict Ramsay, and UNPOL's Deputy Senior Police Advisor, Maja Gacic. This year the United Nations is marking 75 years of UN peacekeeping, and in 2024, here in Cyprus, UNFICYP, which is one of the longest running peacekeeping missions, will be marking 60 years in the service of peace. Tune in and listen to our guests Ben and Maja talk about peacekeeping and the challenges peacekeepers face while carrying out their daily duties.Presenter: Ersin Öztoycan

As we mark #MineAction this month, listen to the latest edition of #UNFICYP’s podcast with the Programme Manager of UN Mine Action Service in Cyprus, Mark Connelly, talking about the work of UNMAS on the island. #MineAwareness Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

As we mark #womensday this month, listen to the latest edition of #UNFICYP’s podcast with two Cypriot podcasters, Eleni Antoniou and Meltem Burak, who are bringing to light conversations about #peace, #gender and #womensparticipation in #Cyprus. #IWD2023 #DigitALLPresenter Ersin Oztoycan

Ahead of international women’s day, we invited the heads of our three components who are leading UNFICYP military, police and civil affairs work on the island to share with our audiences what are their roles. Listen to Force Commander, Major General Ingrid Gjerde, Senior Police Adviser, Assistant Police Commissioner Satu Koivu, and Chief of the Civil Affairs Section, Faylene Woolley, share with our audiences how the Mission is integrating its work and their perspectives of #WomenInPeacekeeping. Presenter: Ersin Öztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud! In this edition we invite you to listen to a conversation with Aimen Nabhani, Gizem Öner and Martha Petrou, who are part of the inspiring youth involved in the first Local Conference of Youth organized in Cyprus. Tune in and listen to them talk about the establishment of the LCOY in 2022, the work they have been doing to address the #climatechange on the island, the experience of representing Cypriot youth during the Conference of Youth in Egypt prior to the #COP27 and what are their hopes for the year ahead. Presented by: Ersin Oztoycan

As we gear towards the end of 2022, tune in to our podcast and listen to an interview with UNFICYP' Spokesperson and Chief of Public Information Office in Cyprus, Aleem Siddique, talking about the highlights and challenges for the Mission during the past year and what lies ahead for the Mission in 2023.Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

As we join the world to mark #16Day of activism to end violence against women, tune in to our podcast and listen to an interview with Mary Pyrgos and Meral Akinci, who are influential women that have worked in civil society for several years to support survivors and raise awareness of the issue island wide.Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

As we join the world to mark #UNDay, tune in to our podcast and listen to an interview with the UN Special Representative & Deputy Special Adviser of the Secretary-General in Cyprus the role of the organisation on the island. Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

As we join the world to mark #PeaceDay, tune in to our podcast and listen to an interview with UNFICYP's Civil Affairs Officer Munehiko Harada, Military Observation and Liaison Officer from Sector 2 Captain Dave and Police Sector Commander of Sector 2 Lubica Hirkova to talk about their work and the importance of not fueling hate but fueling the debate. Achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms. It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally.Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

As we join the world to mark International #YouthDay, tune in to our podcast and listen to an interview with two fantastic young Cypriots who collaborate with #UNFICYP in different projects. Victoras Antreas is one of our UN Youth Champion’s for Environment and Peace, and Hanife Serin took part in the Young Leaders in Action initiative and the Mindful leadership project organized by the Mission earlier this year.Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP's monthly podcast Out Loud!In this edition we invite you to listen to a conversation with Major Jozef Durkot from Slovakia, our Force Engineer Officer, talk about the work of the Mission's engineers, who are an essential part of UNFICYP’s work, with the main role aimed to construct, maintain and repair all facilities under the UN responsibility on the island.Presented by: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP’s monthly podcast "Out Loud”.As this month we are marking International Day of Peacekeepers, the theme for this year is: people, peace, progress. To celebrate this important day for the UN, we invited Irene Antoniou, who works in the Famagusta Avenue Garage, and Ali Furkan Çetiner, who is a member of the Famagusta Youth Union, to give an opportunity to discuss the work they are doing to bring the communities together on the island as both of them have very close collaborations and partnerships with themselves and with UNFICYP.Presenter: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus.In this edition we invite you to listen to a conversation with the Chief of our Civil Affairs section, Faylene Woolley, to explain the important role of Civil Affairs in bringing both communities together. Presented by: Ersin Oztoycan

As we gear up to mark #womensday next week, listen to the latest edition of #UNFICYP’s podcast with the Mission’s Gender Affairs Officer, Lauren Mcalister on how the @UnitedNations in #Cyprus has been working towards #genderequality and #womensparticipation. #IWD2022

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud!In this edition we invite you to listen to a conversation about the work of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus with their three members, Mr. Leonidas Pantelides, the Greek Cypriot member, Mr. Hakkı Müftüzade, the Turkish Cypriot member, and Mr. Paul Henri Arni, the UN member. Presented by: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. In this edition we invite you to listen to a conversation with Emilia Strovolidou from UNHCR in Cyprus and David Buckley one of our UNPOL officers, to talk about migration issues inside the UN buffer zone. Presented by: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. In this edition we invite you to listen to a conversation with Jurga Didziokaite from our Civil Affairs section, to talk about what the UN is doing inside the buffer zone in Cyprus and what are the environmental challenges. Presented by: Ersin Oztoycan

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. In this edition we invite you to meet Panagiotis Aristides and Kayra Gutan, two young Cypriots who came together as part of the UN Youth Champions for Environment and Peace initiative and what were the highlights of the programme for them.The initiative, which was implemented in collaboration with the British Council through the COOPower project, offered to 25 young people from across the island a 2-week intense focus on environmental peacebuilding and social entrepreneurship.

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. This September edition listen to an interview with top United Nations representative on the island, Elizabeth Spehar, on the importance of building trust between both communities, in engaging with youth and women's groups across the island and the highlights of her term.

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. This August edition listen to an interview with UNFICYP' Force Commander, Major General Ingrid Gjerde on the importance of the military work on the island and her views on the role of women in peacekeeping operations.

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. This July edition listen to an interview with UNFICYP' newly arrived Senior Police Adviser, Assistant Police Commissioner Satu Koivu, on what is the role of UNPOL on the island, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and what she is expecting from her term.

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. In June, the United Nations marked World Environment Day and for this edition, we interviewed two UNFICYP staff who are working in different areas of the Mission, but are contributing to maintaining our shared environment on the island: Nadeem Paul Qadir, UNFICYP's Fire Fighter and Milan Kljajic, UNFICYP' Senior Engineering Assistant and Chairperson of the environmental committee. Listen to how they are contributing preserving our shared environment in the buffer zone.

COVID-19 has impacted UN peacekeeping operations around the world. In Cyprus, UNFICYP had to adapt in order to continue to implement its mandate. Listen to our monthly podcast as we speak with the Mission's Force Medical Officer, Gabor Kolonics, from Hungary, and what measures are in place to curb the pandemic.

Welcome to UNFICYP out loud, the podcast about the Mission's work and mandate in Cyprus. This February edition listen to an interview with UNFICYP' Senior Police Adviser, Chief Superintendent Fang Li on what is the role of UNPOL on the island, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the highlights of her term.