Football4Reconciliation (F4R)

About the project

The Football4Reconciliation (F4R) project aims to increase interaction and promote solidarity between Greek Cypriots (GC) and Turkish Cypriots (TC) through football-related events. By organising friendly matches, tournaments, workshops and exchanges between football stakeholders, the project seeks to strengthen inclusion, dialogue and cooperation across Cyprus. The project involves key stakeholders such as citizens, football clubs, academies and sports bodies, with an emphasis on promoting the values of solidarity, reconciliation and democratic participation in decision-making processes.

Expected results

The project is expected to contribute substantially to increasing and promoting interaction between Greek Cypriots (GC) and Turkish Cypriots (TC) across the dividing line, through participation in joint football-related actions and events. At the same time, it will promote volunteering and the exchange of knowledge and experiences through sport, strengthening values such as solidarity, cooperation and reconciliation between the two communities. The project will create a “safe space” for the exchange of know-how and dialogue across the dividing line, encouraging citizen participation in decision-making and the development of democratic structures in the field of sport.

As part of the actions, friendly football matches will be organised, bringing fans together and celebrating the cooperation and diversity of the island. In addition, football tournaments for fans will serve as platforms for promoting equality and inclusion in sport, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion. In parallel, a series of workshops and seminars will be developed and implemented with the aim of exchanging good practices in the management and sustainability of clubs and sports organisations, as well as transferring this collaborative model to the wider society. Finally, the project will strengthen exchange networks in football academies, bringing together coaches, athletes and stakeholders, while fan exchanges during local tournaments will further strengthen inter-communal ties and foster a culture of peaceful coexistence.