Pile Peace Festival to Be Held on Saturday, With Leaders Set to Attend

The festival will be jointly organised by the Turkish Cypriot Mukhtar’s Office in Pyla, the Greek Cypriot Mukhtar’s Office in Pyla and the Pyla Office of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP).
The one-day event will take place at the artificial football pitch behind Pyla Turkish Primary School and will begin at 7pm.
PYLA TURKISH CYPRIOT MUKHTAR GÜDEN
Speaking to the Turkish News Agency Cyprus (TAK), Pyla Turkish Cypriot Mukhtar Veysal Güden said the festival dated back to before his term in office and had been organised as a bicommunal event for many years.
Güden said the festival was suspended in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was not held in subsequent years because of problems with crossing arrangements following Brexit and various other difficulties.
TWO MUSICAL GROUPS AND A BICOMMUNAL FOLK DANCE TEAM TO PERFORM
Güden said this year’s festival would feature a shorter, one-day programme, with one musical group from each community performing.
A bicommunal folk dance team comprising Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot members will also perform. Güden said previous editions had featured more extensive programmes, but organisers had decided to keep this year’s event shorter in view of seasonal conditions and the time available for preparations.
PREPARATIONS UNDER WAY FOR LEADERS’ ATTENDANCE
Following the announcement by President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides that they would attend the festival after their meeting yesterday, Güden said organisational and security preparations for the leaders’ participation were continuing.