By Heidi Trautmann
‘Something is rotten in the State of Denmark’… Hamlet by
Shakespeare…something is rotten and literally stinks to heaven in Nicosia, in
Cyprus, it smells of standstill, of chaos, of helplessness. Rumours rise like
smoke of an open fire that there is a new movement to awaken social awareness,
people turn their heads and listen, people of all communities, of all
professions, colour and provenance, communities that have made Cyprus their
home and have arrived at a point of frustration….’ This is what I wrote some time ago when I interviewed Dr. Kudret
Öserzay, the Spiritus Rector of Toparlaniyoruz.
Now we received the invitation for the celebration of its
1st anniversary:
With your support we've left a long year behind
We walked together along this path
Celebrating our first year with you will also give us more strength ..
On 11may
19.30-21.00
Bedesten Nicosia
2279993 -05428610245
Thinking back, they say, it all started on Twitter
amongst a few people, sharing their despair about the corruption in Northern
Cyprus. They decided that something must be done about it.
The members of the association that was formed within
a few months are all volunteers, among them lawyers, lecturers, housewives,
retired teachers, civil servants, students, doctors,
architects, company owners and of many other
professions and background.
A lot has been achieved in just one year: over 70
villages have been visited by the leader Dr. Kudret Öserzay listening and
answering the questions of all persons met and bringing awareness to the
communities about justice and legal rights.
The aim of the association is transparency on all
levels, also within their own organization. Representatives from many NGOs and
institutions have visited Toparlaniyoruz; there were TV talks with all the candidates
for the Nicosia Municipality about future plans and many more activities in the
political and social scene. But also in other fields Toparlaniyoruz became
active: there was the very successful action to help the association of
disabled people for the purchase of two wheelchairs, the Blue-Cap-Action,
gathering the caps of plastic bottles island-wide; or legal advice and action
granted in doubtful court cases.
There is a lot to be celebrated, I would say.
Dr. Kudret Öserzay promises to hold a short speech
while we drink to the health of the members and the success of the association.