Erhürman and Christodoulides to attend bicommunal peace festival in Pile

President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot administration leader Nikos Christodoulides will attend a bicommunal Peace Festival in Pile on Saturday, the first in seven years. According to Politis newspaper, the event will begin at 19.00 on the football pitch behind Pile Turkish Primary School.

Organisers expect around 2,000 visitors. The festival will feature music and traditional dance performances, along with food and drink stalls. Pile Greek Cypriot muhtar Simos Mitidis told the paper that the main aim is to send a message of cooperation and coexistence.

Mitidis asked: “If we can do it in Pile, why not in the rest of the island?” He noted that Pile is one of the few villages where Turkish and Greek Cypriots have continued living together since 1974. Local associations, school parent associations and schools are volunteering support. The festival was first held in 2015 and last in 2019.