Situated in Cyprus' buffer zone, the Home for Cooperation (H4C) received its initial funding from the Grants in the previous funding period. It opened its doors on 6 May 2011, as the first ever shared space for Cypriots from all over the island to engage in historical inquiry and advance contemporary understanding, dialogue and peace-building. The H4C houses a mulch-functional research and educational centre: a centre for young people, educators, historians and researchers; a space for exhibitions and archives, a library and a workspace for NGOs.
Both communities
Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis and Mr. Kudret Özersay, the chief negotiators of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, were both present at the event and gave short speeches. Also present and speaking were the Representative of the UN Secretary General for Cyprus and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, Ms. Lisa Buttenheim, and the Norwegian Ambassador, Mr. Sjur Larsen representing the Grants.
In his speech, Mr Larsen shared his vision for the future as follows: “May the Home for Cooperation become a Home for NGOs of a reunited Cyprus, where people of both communities live and thrive together. May we soon come to a point where the location of the H4C is just an address in Nicosia, not in a buffer zone, but in a vibrant reunited city.”