earthdance - ppi-cy gives peace a dance

On September 26, 2009 PeacePlayers International – Cyprus hosted a 3-on-3 Streetball festival in conjunction with Earthdance 2009 through a grant from UNDP-ACT. Here, players warm up before the action begins.

Throughout the day, these young Greek- and Turkish-Cypriots would play basketball on integrated 4-member basketball teams. Above, some of the earliest participants among the 120 total players that turned out stretch and wait for directions.

The players attracted quite a crowd, not only playing for peace themselves, but also showing all of Nicosia that Cyprus’s youth are ready for peace.

PeacePlayers International supplied the jerseys...

...and the kids supplied the excitement.

PPI - CY's female participants got new jerseys too...

...and were proud to show off what Earthdance was all about...

..as was Rory, PPI - CY's International Fellow (and blogger) extraordinaire.

PeacePlayers International's programs and events like Earthdance are among very few opportunities for these kids to interact with their peers from the other side of island, but on this day, peace signs were everywhere.

Can you tell who's Greek Cypriot and who's Turkish Cypriot?

The games were competitive but friendly.

And as the day wore on, the basketball heated up, as in this game among our older participants.

The basketball continued into the night...

...as did the camaraderie...

...and, of course, the peace signs.

A special thanks to our partners for this event: HASDER, UNDP-ACT (itself funded by USAID), and the Cyprus Network for Youth Development.