5th meeting – Pegeia, Cyprus (15.12.-16.12.2020)

As part of the EFC (Europe for Citizens) funded project ALL IN: Pathways to
belonging: Intercultural Dialogue to SociaL Inclusion – the Municipality
of Pegeia has organized and hosted a two-day Online Event with the thematic
title of “Cyprus ALL-IN Virtual Meeting – A Divided Culture”.

This particular project event took place on the 15th and 16th of December 2020
between the hours of 9:30 CET in the morning and 14:30 CET in the afternoon,
and was made possible with the attendance and support of all the participating
organizations of the ALL-IN project. Moreover, given that the event was open to
the public, and was planned and publicised as such in all available Social Media
(facebook, linkedin, etc.) in the days before its actual implementation helped
immensely to gather a considerable number of attendances that connected in
order to follow and listen to the presentations and discussions over the issues
concerning Social Integration as well as to the factual situation that is created by
migration flows in the Island of Cyprus and in particular within the region of
Paphos at which the Municipality of Pegeia is located.
A series of presentations from scientists, activists and members of the local Civil
Society with a diverse background and expertise gave the chance to our online
audience to mainly gain a better grasp on the situation in Cyprus at the moment
when it comes to social integration of different ethnic groups residing at the
island.
A brief time was initially dedicated in presenting to everyone the main objectives

and pursuits of the ALL-IN project whilst also updating on the latest
developments and the course action that was indicated in order to medicate the
challenging circumstances created by the pandemic of Covid-19 and which have
disrupted the scheduled course of the project as a whole.
In accordance to the original programme proposed within the ALL-IN project a
detailed presentation of Pegeia’s experience in similar actions (funded and not)
was given with a special focus on popularised sports activities (football, basketball,
volleyball, etc.) as a vehicle for integrating different ethnic groups residing at the
area and especially for the ones of a younger age.

Plus, the presenters made also sure to divert the attention to the migration
situation in the island and the almost unbearable obstacles that are posed by the
sheer numbers of flows as Cyprus for years now rightfully claims the title of
having the highest number of asylum seekers per capita of all the European
Member States.

Lastly, a unique presentation was given by Dr Christos Hadjioannou, a holder of
a Postdoctoral research position at the Department of Classics and Philosophy at
the University of Cyprus with the title “Dialectics of racism and the problem of
inclusion”.

In line with the original objectives set by the ALL-IN consortium, this event has
aimed and succeeded at clarifying and bringing to the forth some of the most
note-worthy efforts and practices in place for successfully integrating immigrants
and Third Country Nationals into the local community.