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

G7 Leaders’ Communiqué

“We affirm our commitment to working together—and with other international partners—to closely coordinate and institutionalize our support for civil society peacebuilding efforts, ensuring that such efforts are part of a larger strategy to build the foundation necessary for a negotiated and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.” CFP was proud to join other ALLMEP members in March to advocate for this approach on Capitol Hill. ALLMEP has spent the last month leading a global coalition united in calling for a new approach from the G7. 37 UK Parliamentarians, 22 Members of the European Parliament, and His Holiness Pope Francis – who attended the …

CFP’s National Public Relations Campaign

Although CFP has been operating under different names, the CFP model of paired youth from conflict areas rooming together for at least a month in the home of an American family has been organized from a continuous core group of volunteers since 1981. From 1981 through 2007, when efforts were focused on Northern Ireland, CFP enjoyed much national exposure, especially on television. As a result, the program was able to host over 2000 youth from every county in Northern Ireland in 35 U.S. states by 954 American host families. Since then, CFP has had over 1300 Cypriot teens participate with …

CFP’s Action Plan for Growth 2024-2026

In 2018, when CFP changed its name to Creating Friendships for Peace, the decision was made to change from a single-conflict to a multi-conflict organization. This transition required different organizational structures, additional team members and additional hosting areas. While some progress occurred, Covid was a major interruption.In mid-2022, CFP’s board and leadership began developing a strategic plan for CFP’s future in response to opportunities being presented to us in the Balkans. As part of this development process, it was necessary to review and revise CFP’s mission, vision and values and document our theory of change. Research in our Northern Ireland …

CFP Advocates for Peace

CFP’s Executive Director Betsy Small, Middle East Program Coordinator David Rodich and Board Chair Linda Ziglar joined with other member organizations of the Alliance for Middle East Peace to meet with members of Congress to: secure a ceasefire and release of hostages in the war between Israel and Hamas create a genuine diplomatic process that includes Arab and European partners to deliver peace, security and hope for both Israelis and Palestinians include civil society in the diplomatic process double the funding for the Partnership for Peace Act and urge other countries to match this support It was inspiring to show …

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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