Dozens of people joined a bicommunal cleanup operation in and around Nicosia’s old town on Saturday morning, with volunteers picking litter from both sides of the island’s divided capital.

The event was organised to mark World Cleanup Day by environmental non-government organisations “Let’s Do It! Cyprus” with the support of the Green Action Movement, with Let’s Do It! Cyprus thanking Nicosia’s two mayors, Charalambos Prountzos and Mehmet Harmanci, for their support.

Additionally, thanks were offered to Irish ambassador in Nicosia Sarah Hamilton for her support for the event, and to the Indian high commission in Nicosia for providing free t-shirts featuring Indian anti-colonial freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi to all those who participated.

Prountzos described the event as “a very important initiative” which “sends a very positive message regarding the need for society to bring about the change it desires”.

“Society can bring about the changes it needs by participating, activating the community, and contributing to causes which are universal, such as cleanliness and environmental protection. The bicommunal nature of this event is obviously very important. I am glad that Mehmet and I were able to participate in this initiative,” he said.

Harmanci, meanwhile, said he was “very happy” to participate in the event, adding that he wished to “encourage civil society to unite for the sake of our city, to give the message that we have common environmental problems”.

“If one side is polluted, the other is affected. We must take care of the city together in terms of the environment. We must cooperate, understand each other, and work together for the sake of our city. I am glad that Charalambos is very interested in the city and collaborating with him gives us energy to do the same things here,” he said.

Nicosia, Prountzos, Harmanci, bicommunal