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During 2001-2004, we were present at the Chamber of Commerce as a team.
During that period, we had realized that the society
was misinformed by the official authorities.
Therefore, the raison d’être of the association
was to ensure that the society
can timely access accurate information
especially on issues related to the European Union,
as well as on the solution of the Cyprus problem, the current situation,
or on financial, political issues.
This was our aim as the association.
It is of crucial importance that Turkish Cypriots are informed
accurately on the European Union,
in case of a referendum or accession in the future.
Moreover, to ensure that they live in the European Union as EU citizens
and that they can contribute to this society, to the EU society,
and to this integration, they should be aware of how it functions,
what it avails to us, what sort of shortcomings it has,
and how they can contribute to it, so that they can live
so that they can live in a conscientious and participatory order in the European Union.
One of our first larger scale activities we did for the Turkish Cypriot community
was the vision workshop. This activity, which commenced in 2007,
involved gathering various opinions from Turkish Cypriots
and other members of the European Union regarding a solution,
their opinion on the EU and the future of Cyprus.
The results were published in a booklet followed by a conference.
This was one of the more substantial activities we carried out.
Another activity we did within the framework
of the ‘Civil Society Dialogue Project”,
was a workshop involving members of the Famagusta community.
Apart from that, we have carried out mass meetings, conferences,
projects, a project about means of obtaining a solution, a EU project.
At present we have an ongoing project titled, ‘Accessing Information’,
which is due to be completed by the end of the year.
Of course, unlike the transformation of individuals,
societal transformation and configuration stretches over longer periods.
In some cases, based on knowledge, we have interpreted,
we see that some communities have even faded away in history.
If communities don’t have enough concerns about their future and their existence
and don’t put an effort into this,
based on historical records, once again based on factual information,
we can see that there are extinct societies in the world.
They failed, they failed to survive.
In order for the Turkish Cypriot community to avoid such a future,
they must continue living with their unique essence,
their culture, their language and their customs.
Of course in order to maintain their survival,
they must accomplish this within the framework of international law
and this requires using knowledge, working around factual information.
The aim of the Cyprus EU Association is to provide this knowledge.