Cyprus: Digging the Past in Search of the Future

In December 2009 Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu travelled to Cyprus to film a documentary about the search for missing persons on the island. Watch the film here – available in English, Greek and Turkish.

"The future is in our hands": teenagers promoting peace in Cyprus

In February 2011, two Greek Cypriot and two Turkish Cypriot teenagers – Idil, Michael, Tayfun and Thalia – joined Elders Desmond Tutu, Gro Brundtland and Lakhdar Brahimi on a visit to London. In this video the four students answer some challenging questions from the Cypriot community in London and tell us why they won't give up on their dream for a united Cyprus.

The work of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus

The bi-communal Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus has been working since 2007 to recover the remains of missing persons and return them to their families. The Elders visited the divided island in December 2009 to film a documentary about the Committee's valuable work.

Cyprus: Digging the Past in Search of the Future (trailer)

In December 2009, Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu joined four teenagers - two Greek Cypriot and two Turkish Cypriot - to learn about a very difficult and painful issue: the search for missing persons in Cyprus. Their journey to discover more about the Cypriots working to uncover their hidden past has been made into a documentary.

"I have confidence in the wisdom and judgement of the people of Cyprus to shape their own future."

Encouraging progress in Cyprus

The Elders met the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and were encouraged by their positive reports of progress at the start of the second phase of peace negotiations. At a press conference at the end of their visit, the Elders also urged the Cypriot media on both sides to play a responsible role in reporting the progress of the talks and in covering efforts to improve cooperation between the two communities.

Calling for a greater role for women in the Cyprus peace process

As part of their September 2009 Cyprus visit, the Elders held meetings in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia – the only place that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can easily meet - with leading women from politics, civil society, business, journalism and academia. Speaking afterwards to local media they called for a greater role for women in the peace process in Cyprus.

Elders meet Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, October 2008

Three members of The Elders visited Cyprus to lend their support to the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, and to commend Mr Demetris Christofias and Mr Mehmet Ali Talat for their efforts to reunify the island. The Elders urge the international community to embrace the fact that a lasting settlement is within reach, and to actively support the leaders and the peace process.

Elders visit Cyprus to support peace process, October 2008

Jimmy Carter, Desmond Tutu and Lakhdar Brahimi met young people from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to hear about their hopes for the future and to encourage both communities to live in peace.