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Tolerance and respect. It’s two sided.
The society needs to provide space for these people
and these individuals need to take steps towards the society
In order to have a positive future.
KISA Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism
Doros Polykarpou, Executive Officer
In 1998 we felt the need to create an organisation
which would work on two levels.
One level was cultural intervention in order to
raise awareness in the society
about asylum and immigration issues.
But also to create a society which is more open
and ready to comprehend that
we have already become a multicultural country
where people from various backgrounds
can live, work and contribute on an equal basis with the Cypriot citizens.
The second level is providing support to immigrants and refugees.
We also have some serious cases of people
who have been victims of violence, trafficking and power abuse.
For such incidents, the organisation takes action towards various directions.
We should see people as people.
Faika Deniz Pasha. Steering Committee Member
We should see migrant workers, not just as a labour force.
All of us who live on this island must try to avoid
Jumping into rushed conclusions.
We should also avoid shifting serious issues
such as the economic crisis
and other serious sociological problems
on the shoulders of immigrant groups.
This helps neither the immigrants nor
nor the finding of a solution for these problems.
Racism, xenophobia, hate crimes,
it does harm not only certain committees but everybody in our country.
And we should be worried at this point
that this is rising in Cyprus like it is rising all over Europe.
It is of vital importance to take measures
Towards an effective integration of these people.
At the moment the only measure that has been taken is language education.
This is an important step. However, language is not a tool. It is not the goal.
One learns the language in order to participate in a society,
the job market and to communicate with people.
If one faces racism and is not welcomed to communicate with other people
then not even the use of language will help.
People fear what they don’t know.
If you talk to each other, and it’s a two sided effort,
if we understand each other, if we can learn with each other
on common goals, then this will make integration
and understand and acceptance much easier.
Therefore there is a significant need to have
effective integration and a need
to help our society to comprehend that
immigrants are equal human beings.