Moving Beyond Soliloquy: Youth Perceptions on Politics, Peace and Inter-Communal Contacts

Youth is the generation that builds social trust and social cohesion in their respective communities through their activities, dialogue and engagement in their daily lives. In order to understand youth demands, the periodic investigation of youth attitudes and trends is critical to observe any shifts in hopes for the future, perceptions towards the other community, readiness for the peace process or willingness to co-exist. This report thus examines the neglected Cypriot youth's perceptions of politics, peace and inter-communal contact through telephone surveys conducted simultaneously both sides of the island. Based on the findings of the survey, this report presents extensive policy recommendations and action points that will enable Cypriot youth’s participation into decision-making and peace processes. The implementation of these action points will portray Cyprus as example for other countries and a rare instance of the successful implementation of UNSC Resolution 2250 (2015) on Youth, Peace and Security