Celebrating Diversity and Volunteerism

The project Celebrating Diversity and Volunteerism was implemented in 2009-2011 in co-operation with the Cyprus Turkish Association of Managers (Cyprus), and was funded by the European Commission.

 

Aims and purposes
The fundamental objective of the project was to strengthen the role and capacity of Cypriot Civil Society; to promote a more conducive environment for further development of trust, dialogue, co-operation and closer relationships between Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots (with a particular focus on underrepresented groups). Specifically, the project aimed at increasing organisational development through capacity assessment, strategic plan development and action plan implementation. Furthermore, it aimed at mobilizing the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities and the underrepresented groups living within these two communities to actively participate in volunteer opportunities. The project also focused on raising awareness of diversity and issues faced by people from disadvantaged backgrounds island-wide and in the European Union, while it also led to enhanced co-operation between CSOs and private and public sector donors.

 

Main activities and products
The main activities of the project included an awareness-raising festival, a workshop which aimed at increasing organisations’ visibility within the EU, and trainings on volunteer and membership management.