The workshop "Creating Empathy - Loss" was organised for student members of the "Under the Same Sky" club of the English School in Cyprus, which both Cypriot Greek and Turkish students attend.

The workshop took place on 15 and 16 December in Protaras, and was led by Sevgül Uludag from the Yenidüzen newspaper and Andreas Parashos from the Politis newspaper. In addition, Didem Caylar and Yannos Demetriu, whose grandfathers were never found, told the students about the experience of loss.

The students were given a perspective on the history of the last 47 years, and Uludag and Parashos gave presentations on disappeared people and mass graves, using many photographs to accompany their accounts.

How to deal with loss as society and individuals

In smaller groups, the students discussed questions such as whether the topic of disappeared people should be part of history lessons, and how Cyprus should deal with the losses. Students realised that the experience of loss was the same for people from both societies.

At the end of the workshop, the students expressed their wish for a peaceful world, in which there was no war and loss. (TK/AG)