Lecture: The Coexistence in the disappeared mixed neighbourhoods in Nicosia
Ahmet Cavit An
Thursday, 30 May 2024 | 18:30-19:30
The lecture will be in English.
The paper "Coexistence in the Disappeared Mixed Neighbourhoods of Nicosia" by Ahmet An delves into the historical and demographic landscape of Nicosia, with a particular focus on the vanished mixed neighbourhoods that once epitomised cultural coexistence. It provides a comprehensive historical account of these neighbourhoods, shedding light on the intricate fabric of cultural coexistence that once characterised the cityscape. Furthermore, the paper presents census data from 1946, which showcases the diverse ethnic makeup of Nicosia's neighbourhoods and the peaceful cohabitation of various communities.
"Coexistence in the disappeared mixed neighbourhoods in Nicosia" was first published at the conference "Nicosia: The Last Divided Capital in Europe" on June 20, 2011.
Dr Ahmet Cavit An is a retired paediatrician and a distinguished historian. Since 1971, he has authored numerous articles and studies on the Cyprus problem and the island's history, published in various newspapers and journals in Istanbul and Nicosia. Dr An has published 25 books in Turkish, focusing on the political and cultural history of Turkish Cypriots.
He served as the Turkish-Cypriot Coordinator for the bi-communal Movement for an Independent and Federal Cyprus, established in 1989. In a landmark case, Dr An won a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights in February 2003, asserting his freedom of assembly after being denied it for promoting inter-communal contact in Cyprus. His efforts contributed to the historic opening of the Ledra Palace checkpoint on April 23, 2003, facilitating crossings between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.