Cyprus Friendship Program is now Creating Friendships for Peace!

For 30 years, CFP volunteers have helped teenagers and their families create friendships between communities in conflict — first in Northern Ireland, then in Cyprus and now in Cyprus, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. CFP has provided training in conflict resolution and other peace building skills in the U. S. home stays and in CFP camps based in Cyprus. These friendships have proven to be long-lasting — among teens, their families, their American hosts and the full network of the CFP community. As we expand our unique program to other areas of conflict, we are changing our name to Creating Friendships for Peace. As implied by this name, our mission remains constant.

Our expanding organization is now working with both the ongoing Cypriot-based Cyprus Friendship Program, in its tenth year, and with our new partner, Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB), to provide American home stays for teens in the JPB program.  In 2019, we look forward to hosting at least 30 teens from Israel/Palestine and 40 from Cyprus.  Each existing area of the continental U.S. will have pairs from both countries. In addition to teens building strong bonds with teens from their own areas of conflict,        U. S. Area Coordinators will provide opportunities for all teens to dialogue together and learn from each other. Internationally recognized thought leaders believe these interactions may help teens broaden their perspectives on the conflicts in their own communities as well as create international friendships. Maui will continue to host Cypriot teens and a new Washington DC metropolitan area will be created.

Changing our name from Cyprus Friendship Program to Creating Friendships for Peace clarifies our expanded efforts.  Our world certainly needs all the peacebuilding efforts organizations like ours can provide and we believe we have a very unique yet powerful model to help make a difference. Our youth are our future and we are thankful to be a part of helping create a foundation that gives them the courage, tools and trust to know peace can be accomplished.    Tammy Haas Executive Director