The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) in partnership with the Turkish Cypriot Community Association is pleased to invite you to a public forum with His Excellency Mr Mustafa Akinci, President of The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
This event is kindly hosted by Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North.
The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 22 November 2017 in Committee Room 11, the House of Commons.
Please note that as security checks are required to enter House of Commons, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end on time.
In this special event, President Mustafa Akinci will share the views of the Turkish Cypriot Community on the Cyprus reunification talks and discuss the future of Cyprus.
Researcher and author of 33 books and Honorary Chair of TCCA Mr Yashar Ismailoglu will kindly chair this event.
We look forward to welcoming you to this event.
Speaker Biography
Born on December 28, 1947 in Limassol, Mustafa Akıncı is a graduate of the Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture.
In 1975, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Turkish Cypriots; subsequently, he served as the first elected Mayor of the Nicosia Turkish Municipality for an uninterrupted term of 14 years from 1976 to 1990.
During his Mayorship, he collaborated with the then Nicosia Greek Cypriot Mayor on the implementation of the Nicosia Sewerage Project and the Nicosia Master Plan. In this context, Nicosia Master Plan received the ‘World Habitat Award’ in 1989 and the ‘Aga Khan Award for Architecture’ in 2007. Additionally, in 2003 Akıncı and his Greek Cypriot counterpart were awarded the prestigious ‘Europa Nostra Medal of Honour’ in recognition of their consistent and successful efforts for Nicosia and its citizens during particularly difficult times, and for the preservation of the historical and architectural environment of the Walled City.
Akıncı played a leading role in the establishment of the Union of Turkish Cypriot Municipalities and became its first President.
Between 1987-2001 he served as the Leader of the Communal Liberation Party (TKP); from 1993 to 2009 he was a Member of the Turkish Cypriot Parliament; and between 1999-2001 he undertook the role of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism.
As one of its founding members, Akıncı became the leader of the Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) which was founded during the Annan Plan period. He handed over the leadership of BDH with the establishment of the Social Democratic Party (TDP).
President Mustafa Akıncı has delivered keynote speeches on Cyprus at internationally renowned academic platforms such as Oxford University, Harvard University and Yale University, as well as international forums such as Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs.
He published his first book ‘Belediye Başkanlığı’nda 14 Yıl’ (14 Years as Mayor) in 2010, and several of his articles have been published in various journals.
Mustafa Akıncı who got elected as the 4th President of the TRNC in the elections on April 2015, is fluent in English.
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