UNITED CYPRUSUNITED CYPRUS

“What we demand is very reasonable and what we aim for is self-evident:

We demand and aim for the reunification of our country and our people….”

Tassos Papadopoulos

Orpheus Production presentsReality show with participants of Greek and Turkish Cypriots

1. Introduction

2. About the project

3. Key Participants

4. Why 4x4?

5. Why Africa?

6. Production

7. Audience Participation

8. Post-expedition

Contents:

We, the authors and producers, are devoted to the reunification of the

Republic of Cyprus.

We wish to demonstrate our love and our respect for the people, the history,

traditions and the culture of Cyprus; we are willing and able to make a reasoned,

rational and feasible contribution to help the process of reunification. We hope

that our proposed project will be closely studied and will be considered to be in

the best interests of the Republic by the special commission, which is

responsible for all aspects of reunification.

Mission Statement

live in peace, prosperity and the well-being of an united Cyprus. However,

individuals have fear and uncertainty which in the older generation is

associated with the memory of participation in the events of those tragic days,

and in youth is blighted by insularity, the inevitable result of long isolation

caused by not knowing each other.

Our proposed reality show, with the participation of both Greek and Turkish

Cypriots, is especially designed to change peoples' minds, to break stereotypes

and to get to know each other. Participants of the show will be the

representatives of their own communities. During the time spent traveling,

they will learn more of each other; they will discover that they have a lot in

common in terms of culture and traditions and, as they overcome the

difficulties of the expedition, their friendship will grow.

1. IntroductionIn the summer of 1974, immediately after the occupation of northern Cyprus

by Turkey, the first round of tripartite peace talks took place in Geneva with the

participation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Turkey and Great

Britain.

After the meeting, the parties agreed to establish a ceasefire. However, the

second stage of negotiations, held between the same parties but with the

additional participation of the Greek and Turkish population of Cyprus led to

the complete failure of previous agreements and an exacerbation of what had

become known as the “Cyprus problem”. Thirty-five years have passed since and

all subsequent attempts to peacefully solve the problematic issue have failed.

Today we have a very real opportunity to resolve the “Cyprus problem” and

we must take advantage of it. Numerous talks between Greek and Turkish

leaders, held over the decades, have not led to a solution of the problem. The

plan proposed in 2004 by Koffi Annan similarly failed. Politicians, not only of the

two communities directly involved, but also representing all developed

nations worldwide, have been unable to achieve an agreement. Often, their

theses were based on the will of the people; a truly held desire of the people to

For three months, we propose to host a daily half hour programme during

prime-time. The theme is of Cypriot couples of different denominations

traveling throughout Africa together.

Two pairs of young Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have a lot in

common. They are students in the history of their country and they love to

travel. They regularly chat on the Internet, as well as researching materials for

their studies. Then the virtual meetings turn into a reality; between them they

come up with the idea to go on a trip through Africa together. They plan their

trip, research their route and go! Their journey is rich with adventures;

incredible encounters with interesting people, discovery of new and exciting

places, the experience of new cuisine and the assimilation of different cultures.

They always talk about their country and that they live in different parts of the

small island of Cyprus, but they talk, too, of their mission: to travel from the

northernmost point of the continent to the southernmost.

2. About the projectOn their journey they will have many difficulties to overcome but slowly the

viewer will realize that despite their differences of language, culture, religion

and attitude they are much the same: for they are Cypriot. They finish their trip

to the Cape of Good Hope and this is very symbolic because in the hearts of

these young people really live the hope that the island one day will again be

united.

The show will include a weekly in-studio, large-screen video conference

during which the studio audience and phone-in viewers will be able, via

translators as necessary, to participate with our actors, ask them questions,

make observations and participate in our reality show.

The actors in the show will be two couples of young males and females:

Greek-Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, 20-25 years old. These young, charismatic,

positive, progressive people, represent a new generation of non-participants of

the tragic events of 1974. Maybe one of the actors should be a famous and

recognizable person on the island (singer, musician), which will attract

audience interest from the very beginning of the programme. Selection of

members of the expedition will be conducted through consultation with

sociologists, psychologists and political scientists. The chosen actors are the

face and symbol of an united Cyprus.

3. Actors

4. Why by 4x4?Most reality shows are based on the principle of “behind the glass” (Big

Brother etc), where the events are developing in a confined space. In our

project, the events are not only the reaction of the participants toward each

other, but also their reaction to the events that occur during their journey.

Through the eyes of these actors, the audience will become familiar with the

geography, culture and history of the many interesting and unusual, places in

the continent, the facets of which are changing daily. We are 'virtually' traveling

along with our heroes, not only to the most popular places in Africa but also to

visit the most remote and exotic places along the route.

5. Why Africa?Africa is a most striking and exotic continent. There is an incredible mix of

cultures, a rich heritage and mystically unknown traditions. Our heroes - they

are real researchers - will find themselves in a quite different world, a world full

of adventures and mysteries. They will find out that in almost in every country

they visit during their trip, live Cypriots. There are Greek and Turkish societies.

They will visit both churches and mosques. They will meet with both Greeks and

Turks, and some of them will be Cypriots! This in all a part of today's multifaceted

and diverse Africa. The trip starts in Egypt, perhaps the cradle of civilization, and

our heroes are enjoying the rich history of the Pharoes. As they progress

southward they visit national parks, live with local tribes, cross rivers and

deserts. They try themselves in extreme sports – rafting on the Zambezi,

practice Sand boarding, bungee jumping from Victoria Falls and much more!

Their journey finishes at the Cape of Good Hope!

The shooting of the show will be practically 24 hours per day, 3 months all the

way from Cyprus to Cape Town. Footage material will be pre-mounted and the

best-edited scenes will be transmitted to TV channels via satellite, for editing,

translation and insertion of subtitles, if necessary. Shooting will be provided

and maintained by creative production and organizational groups throughout

the trip, consisting of 16-18 people. In addition to the car SUV (4x4), all crew,

equipment, and PTS (mobile television) will move on a specially equipped

transport.

6. Production

Reality show is designed primarily for an audience of Greek and Turkish

communities of the island. However, the project can be also transmitted by

Greek and Turkish (Mainland) channels. Interest in the project may involve not

only the Cypriots, but also other countries with existing centers of

confrontation so that the project could serve as a precedent for similar projects

in other regions (for example: Palestine and Israel, countries of former

Yugoslavia, etc.) The project itself is of interest not only socially and politically,

but also as an adventure, which may be the verge of contact with such projects

as Discovery, National Geographic etc.

7. Audience

8. Post expeditionOur actors return to the island as true heroes. They are the representation of a

new relationship between the communities of Cyprus. Their faces will be the

symbol of an united island. They may participate in TV shows and many other

activities aimed at uniting the island. Hundreds of people will meet their heroes

at the airport. At the end of the expedition, right on the day of their arrival it

might be possible to arrange a concert at the democratic line with the legends

of pop and rock (eg, Deep Purple, The Wall in Berlin, 1989).