EUnity20: Cyprus x EU, Two Decades together

About the project:

The EUnity20 project explores and celebrates Cyprus’s evolving relationship with the European Union over the past two decades, a connection that now shapes the everyday rights, opportunities, and identities of people across the island.
Through a creative and participatory approach, the project brings EU integration to life via public installations, performances, community interventions, and conferences.EUnity20 invites reflection, dialogue, and engagement, making the benefits of EU membership visible, relatable, and open for discussion. At its core, the project champions intergenerational exchange, inclusion, and critical engagement with EU values. By prioritizing visual storytelling and amplifying voices from underrepresented communities, EUnity20 highlights how the EU is not just a political entity, but a lived experience that influences national stability, quality of life, and civic identity. In an era of misinformation and division, EUnity20 aims to create inclusive spaces for expression and understanding, fostering a more informed, connected, and cohesive civic culture in Cyprus.

01/03/2025- 28/02/2027

Youth, Gender-Inclusive- LGBTQI, Migrants, Cypriot Citizens, Policy Makers

The results to derive from the project are crafted within a dynamic and creative framework, designed to engage diverse audiences, spark meaningful conversations, and leave lasting impressions. Each result contributes to increased visibility of the EU’s impact in Cyprus while fostering safe spaces for open, honest dialogue around EU integration.

Core results of the project include the:

Performative Trapezomata- Interactive gatherings that blend art, storytelling, and communal exchange to explore EU values in everyday life.
ArtFrames Installations- Visually impactful art installations placed in public spaces, encouraging reflection on the EU’s role in shaping collective and individual identities.
Public Interventions- Creative actions in shared spaces that engage passersby and communities in unexpected, thought-provoking ways.
EuroSync Conference- An event to foster a meaningful dialogue among policymakers, academics, artists, and citizen, focusing on the EU’s contributions and civic life in Cyprus.
Next20 HACKATHON- A youth-driven innovation challenge envisioning the next 20 years of Cyprus-EU relations, fostering digital creativity and civic engagement.
Visions of EU Murals- Collaborative mural projects that translate community perspectives on EU identity into powerful public art.
EUnity in Creativity Exhibition- A culminating exhibition showcasing the project’s creative outcomes, personal stories, and community insights into EU integration.

Partnership:

UoL Project Team:

Theognosia Petrou works as a Project Officer at the Research Center of the University of Limassol. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Cyprus and a Graduate Diploma in Social Anthropology from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. She also holds a Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with Applied Linguistics from the University of Central Lancashire in Cyprus. Theognosia has extensive experience in coordinating and implementing European-funded projects. Her expertise covers a wide range of topics, including social inclusion, gender equality, youth work, migration, and education. She has also coordinated several workshops and engaged with issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), sexual harassment, volunteering, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and youth engagement. On a voluntary basis, she has delivered experiential workshops in primary and secondary schools in Cyprus on school bullying and healthy relationships. She completed her internship at the European Commission in the Directorate-General for Education and Culture in Belgium. Additionally, she has previously worked as a Youth Worker at the Cyprus Youth Clubs Organisation, a Social Welfare Officer at the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare in Cyprus, and as an English teacher at a private school in China.

funded by:

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101196584]