GREEK and Turkish Cypriots will be offering each other an olive branch of friendship when they team up with young people from other countries on a special ‘European Voyage of Understanding’ next month.
Aimed at promoting peace and friendship among different nationalities, cultures and religions, the 10-day sail on the 60-metre square-rigged brig Stavros S Niarchos will depart from Limassol on July 14.
The voyage is the fourth in a series of Voyages of Understanding being organised by the Portsmouth-based Tall Ships Youth Trust.
Simon Lavington, who has been involved as a volunteer watch leader with the Tall Ships Youth Trust since 1998, told the Sunday Mail: “I know how sailing on a square-rigged ship can change people’s lives and be especially beneficial to young people.”
He added: “When the Green Line in Cyprus was opened in the spring of 2003, my wife and I took an elderly Greek Cypriot couple back to their village in the north. Seeing these old people talking to their old Turkish Cypriot friends was, for us, a very emotional experience and I knew that if I could get a few young Greek and Turkish Cypriots together on a ship for 10 days, then some magic would happen. Last year, I persuaded the Tall Ships Youth Trust to call at Limassol for the first time, persuaded the Trust to reserve 15 berths on a voyage and raised the necessary money to send nine young Turkish Cypriots and six young Greek Cypriots on a nine-day voyage last July, and the magic did indeed take place. This year, I thought we’d repeat the experience.”
Previous voyages have successfully brought together Indonesians after the Bali bombing, Israelis and Palestinians and Northern and Southern Irish.
“Sailing provides a great environment for breaking down barriers and encouraging friendships among opposites,” said Tim Law, a director of the Tall Ships Youth Trust. “It’s a life-building experience which will, at the very least, help foster understanding between the peoples of Cyprus.”
Starting and ending in Naples, this year’s 10-day voyage is for 48 people aged between 16 and 25. The aim is to attract an international crew from several European countries who will live and work together to sail the ship.
Sailing on a traditional square-rigger is a challenging experience, encouraging teamwork and mutual support in what is sometimes a physically demanding environment. Experience has shown that young people benefit in many ways from a Tall Ship adventure: increased self-confidence, understanding the role and value of leadership and the ability to relate to people from differing backgrounds – to name but three.
Free places are being offered to eight Greek Cypriot and eight Turkish Cypriot boys and girls. To be considered eligible for a place, they must live in Cyprus, have at least one parent with Cypriot nationality, be in good physical health and be competent in spoken English, which is the common language on-board the ship.
Equality for both Greek and Turkish representation as well equality by gender and broadness of socio-economic participation is aimed for.
Selection interviews are likely to be in Nicosia and Limassol, during the week beginning June 20. There will be a pre-voyage meeting for the 16 selected crew and their parents. A volunteer watch leader will escort the Greek Cypriot crew on the flight from Larnaca to Naples to join the ship, will remain with them on the voyage and will then fly back to Larnaca with them.
The other 32 places on the voyage are on a first come, first served basis.
Lavington said, “places have been advertised in the UK and elsewhere for several months and I understand that all the 32 other berths have been taken and that there is a waiting list in the UK.”
No previous sailing knowledge is necessary. Participants will receive all necessary safety and seamanship training. They will be assigned to one of three 16-person watches and will undertake regular sea-going duties – including taking turns at night watches. Participants will pull ropes, steer the ship, climb up rigging to handle sails, clean the ship and generally help out with everyday duties. They’ll be looked after by an experienced watch officer.
Lavington said, “we’ll try to start with at least 48 hours at sea to allow the crew to get used to ship-board routine. My guess is that, during the 10-day voyage, we will log perhaps 500 nautical miles and include a couple of port visits to islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
After the voyage, each crew member is presented with a certificate.
“As part of the voyage, the watch leaders and chief officer produce an evaluation of each individual’s performance and this is printed up in a form that can be used by the young person as part of the CV for job applications,” Lavington added.
A bi-communal project has been established to raise the necessary funds and has received donations from many organisations and private individuals, both in the UK and in Cyprus. The Tall Ships Youth Trust, who organised the voyage, has supported the cost of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot berths. A contribution to the project has come in the form of a grant and support from the Bi-Communal Development Programme, which is funded by USAID and UNDP and is executed by UNOPS.
The Tall Ships Youth Trust, incorporating the Sail Training Association, is a registered charity founded in 1956, dedicated to the personal development of young people aged between 16 and 25 through the crewing of Tall Ships.
This mission is delivered through two magnificent 60-metre square-rigged sail training vessels and by promoting sail training around the world, Nearly 50 years on, the Trust remains a world leader in the field of youth development.
n For further details, Greek Cypriots should contact Annie Anastassiades on 99-612273.
Turkish Cypriots can contact Muharrem Amcazade on (+90) 533 8 601367.
