The four municipalities of the Paphos District are working in partnership to offer a programme called “Together! – Towards an Open Society!” aiming at integration of third-country nationals (TCNs).

Spearheaded by Geroskipou Municipality, this is the second year of the programme that gives participants the opportunity to take part in language and cultural lessons, culminating in a cross-district cultural event. The programme is part of an island-wide, EU-backed project by the European Integration Fund.

For the first time in 2016, the programme addresses TCNs from outside the EU. They may be economic migrants living and working legally in Cyprus as well as people who live in Cyprus with refugee status or subsidiary protection, temporary protection or asylum seekers and people resettled or relocated or transported from another EU member state.

Paphos District is home to approximately 6,500 immigrants. In Cyprus as a whole, TCNs make up about 7.5% of the population. “These people have equal rights and the same obligations as Cypriots and other European citizens. Their contribution to the local economy is undeniable,” a brochure on the programme said.

Paphos District offers a good cross-section of TCNs. “These people are part of our society and they have the right to participate with us,” reads the pamphlet.

All of the municipalities in the district are running English lessons, with Polis, Paphos and Geroskipou also holding computer lessons. Peyia will put on traditional Cypriot dance classes and Geroskipou will run Cypriot cooking classes and First Aid. Paphos Municipality is also running Greek lessons alongside the other classes.

“The course will consist of 75 hours of lessons and those who compete it and pass the final exam will be given an electronic tablet,” Andri Christodoulidou, Paphos Municipality Youth and Social Welfare Officer, told the Cyprus Weekly.

Deadline for participation

Although no deadline has been set for expressions of interest, each municipality is already accepting applications from third country nationals living and working legally in Cyprus. A deadline will be announced in coming weeks, which will be followed by assessment of applications. The training programmes will run through 2016.

“When we know how many people will be taking part, we will start to organise lesson times,” Christodoulidou explained. “It’s likely they will be on a Sunday, as that is a day off for a lot of applicants.”

The programme is co-funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (90%) and the Cyprus government (10%) with a total budget of €115,000. The programme will run until the end of the year.

Each municipality said that last year’s programme was a success. Based on the experience gained from the 2015 project, the four municipalities are working with European Culture Capital Pafos2017 to set “a solid foundation for the enhancement of social intervention of local authorities in Paphos for a society without discrimination and exclusion”.

Community representation is one of the stipulations of the prestigious cultural title.

“It’s important that we all interact and learn about one another’s cultures,” Neophyta Kyprianou of Polis Municipality told the Cyprus Weekly. “The programme helps to bring us together.”

To register for “Together! Towards an Open Society!” applicants need to go to their respective town hall with immigration documents. On application, the Interior Ministry will need several days to check papers. Courses are expected to begin during the spring and summer.

Yeroskipou: Tel. 26 913 632
Paphos Municipality:Tel. 26 822 270
Peyia Municipality: Tel. 26 621 113
Polis Chrysochous Municipality: Tel. 26 321 321