Creating Friendships for Peace – People UNITED in Countries Divided

Our Programs

Cyprus Friendship Program

The Cyprus Friendship Program (CFP) brings together teenagers from both Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking Cypriot communities to promote peaceful interaction and understanding between the two groups. CFP is a two year peace-building and leadership training program in Cyprus, with a four week component in the United States in the summer.

Middle East Friendship Program

In our Middle East Program, CFP works alongside In-Country Coordinators and with Hebrew-speaking and Arabic-speaking teens to provide selected applicants with workshops in a U.S. summer program with American host families. We facilitate conflict resolution, promote leadership skills with teens from all sides of the conflict and offer opportunities to understand their relevance and future role in peacebuilding, addressing tensions between the young and the old, power, and resources. CFP’s homestay experience offers the teens valuable time in a secure and impartial environment to have honest dialogue with one another and develop long-lasting understanding and friendships.

About Us

Creating Friendships for Peace, Inc. is a volunteer grassroots organization whose mission is to promote and strengthen friendships between teens from divided communities and extend those friendships to their families and friends. The friendships are developed through home stays with American families. Each family hosts two teens – one from each side of a conflict. The teen pair shares a room and learns about each other, understanding their different perspectives and realizing that friendships can develop despite significant political and cultural differences. With friendship, an atmosphere is created that allows for mutual respect and understanding – a key ingredient for peace. CFP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in the United States. Our volunteers were active in Northern Ireland from 1981 until 2007. We are currently active in Cyprus since 2009 and Israel/Palestine since 2018. In our efforts to maintain neutrality, we do not accept government funding and rely solely on gifts from individuals, charitable foundations and businesses who wish to make a difference for peace in the world. Creating Friendships for Peace believes in self-determination and peaceful conflict resolution for all cultures and nations. “I know if everyone had a sister/brother/sibling on the other side that they felt close to as much as I did to my pair, we would all be so much closer to peace.” Summer ’22 CFP Teen

Latest News

Please welcome CFP’s incoming Executive Director Tammy Haas as CFP launches its 37th year!

It gives us great pleasure to share with you that Tammy Haas is returning to the role of Executive Director for a two year term in which she will continue the expansion of CFP in the United States and facilitate the growing partnership with Rotary International. In fact, Tammy will be representing CFP in February at the Rotary Presidential Peace Conference in Istanbul.We wish to thank Betsy Small Campbell for her leadership these last two years in strengthening CFP’s operations and messaging. Because of the unexpected violence in Israel, we were called upon to respond quickly and creatively to provide …

Celebrating the Graduation of 87 Cypriots

CFP held its Cypriot program graduation ceremony on October 12th at Near East University with 87 graduates and their families. The ceremony featured student performances, videos and commentary from the campers and those who experienced the U.S. residency program with American families. Special guest British Deputy High Commissioner to Cyprus Ben Rawlings offered remarks. The event was covered in depth by Voice Cyprus News in the following articles: Graduation Ceremony: https://voicecyprusnews.com/in-a-divided-country-cyprus-friendship-programme-unites-people/Interviews with the attendees: https://voicecyprusnews.com/life-changing-opportunity-cfp-attendees-share-their-experiences/

Appreciating Our Volunteers

Thank you to Suzan Arabacioglu who answered our ad for a graphic designer and donated her time and talent to update some of CFP’s marketing materials. Her help has been greatly appreciated and she was a joy to work with. On October 19th in SW Washington State, CFP held its first Host Family and Volunteer Appreciation event at Prairie Bar and Grill. The event was hosted by Area Coordinator Jessica Ambrose, Co-Coordinator Brooke Anderson and incoming Executive Director Tammy Haas. Our goal was simple — it was to thank our host families, countless volunteers and donors and show our appreciation. Without …

CFP Executive Director Betsy Small’s New Book

Before Before offers a rare portrait of everyday people in Sierra Leone, with particular focus on the lives of women and girls, before the brutal war of 1991 tore the country apart. Through Small’s account of immersion in another world as she witnessed injustice and was welcomed as a friend, readers are invited to explore the shared ground of our humanity. Learn more HERE (Available on Amazon HERE)

CFP U.S. Annual Leadership Retreat

CFP’s leadership met in person and via zoom from Oct. 6 – 9 at the Barbara C. Harris Conference Center in Greenfield, NH for an in-depth evaluation of the 2024 program and future planning. 2025 US Area Coordinators will be: Houston — Amanda Van Dusen New Hampshire — Susan Bartlett Oregon/SW Washington — Jessica Ambrose

Cypriot Alumni Event

Almost 100 CFP Alumni attended the Reunion Dinner held on August 5th at MOD Cafe & Bistro, 1 minute walk from the Ledra Palace checkpoint.

2024 Summer Cyprus Program – 3 Camps

In Cyprus, the Year 1 Troodos Camp welcomed 54 teens from all over Cyprus and was a huge success. An alumni oriented camp took place for the second year in a row in the Maronite village of Kormakitis and welcomed CFP Cypriot alumni from all cohorts. A Year 1 Camp for Middle East teens was also held at the Kormakitis facility at the same time, allowing for some mixed workshops with the Cypriots. These connections provide a special opportunity for all to deepen their understanding of multiple cultures, reflect on recent developments, and exchange ideas on how they might work …

Read Prior News

Testimonials

Desmond TutuThe Elders

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to 2012 CFP Graduation

“Sometimes you might feel that you are alone in this kind of work. Today, take a look around and realise that you are all part of something much bigger – bound together by a shared commitment to our common humanity. Remember that the sea is just drops of water that have come together. And together you can do extraordinary things.”

Institute of PeaceWashington, DC

2015 Peacebuilding Through Education Conference

“For peacebuilding to succeed it must take root at the community level. Communities working together to find common ground, support and communications. It must move beyond governmental action to individuals and community leaders to succeed long term.”

2019 Cypriot TeenCyprus

I would like to be considered as best friends with my pair after this month, and I plan on showing my relationship with him as an example to peers of mine, as a concrete fact that peace is possible and also essential.

2019 Jerusalem TeenIsrael/Palestine

My experience with my pair was super meaningful and important for both of us! Finally we got the opportunity to speak without being stopped by people and finally we got to some agreements and we understood each other.

Interested in becoming a CFP Host? Find information here