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Community First: Cross-Cultural Dhekelia Events Create Lasting Bonds

Akrotiri and DhekeliaCommunity First: Cross-Cultural Dhekelia Events Create Lasting Bonds

By Markos Savvidis Kyriacou ~

DHEKELIA, CYPRUS (SOVEREIGN BASE AREA) — In Mediterranean sunshine, there is life in Dhekelia with cross-cultural striving that demolishes barriers—where British military families and Cypriot villagers, foreign inhabitants, are mingled together in joint endeavor that is low-keyed and inspiring.

“Sport, music, and storytelling all show us what we have in common,” says a Dhekelia community organizer, “and each activity assists in developing the connection we create.”

Camaraderie on the Field Through Sport

Regular springtime friendly matches, supported by the Dhekelia British servicemen Cyprus Forces Football League, bring them all together. The garrison is a greenfield where cultures meet on a level playing field—through shared mission and brotherhood. In 2024, the tournament was attended by over 500 onlookers, a true testament to sports in bringing people together.

Schools as Meeting Grounds

The second is common ground. Joint field trips, science fair, and open days are offered by King Richard School, Dhekelia’s MOD secondary school, to the Cypriot neighbors. St John’s School partnership assures knowledge of one another through collaboration and mutual respect.

And the payoff? Students are learning geography and physics—and knowledge, language basics, and cultural awareness.

Shared Heritage, Shared Space

It was during March 2024 that the open-day of archaeology—at British Forces Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus Department of Antiquities—was organised by Dhekelia, where families took a day out to visit newly uncovered ancient graves and quarries surrounding Dhekelia Airfield. They were accompanied by archaeologists in being invited to share both their shared history and shared space.

No, such events are not unsettling artifacts themselves but creating living bridges between generations and cultures.

Stargazing for Peace

Implicit and profound, astronomy has transcended the political and cultural divisions. Columba–Hypatia astronomy project, coordinated with leadership in cooperation with GalileoMobile and Association for Historical Dialogue, unites Greek-Cypriot, Turkish-Cypriot, and British schoolchildren under the starry sky—eliciting wonder and mutual awe.

Night-time stargazing wheels turn year after year in Dhekelia—inviting participants to look beyond borders and dream together.

A Shared Future in Everyday Events

From multi-cultural clean-up and celebration to school birthday and archaeology tour excavation dig, the Dhekelia calendar is buzzing in harmony: unity in experience. Home to a total of some 7,000 Cypriots and 7,200 British military and dependents, the district is the very epitome of harmonious residency and with the help of the SBA Administration.

Every game, every school event, every dig field trip, every star party celebrates the ordinary and hopeful act of gathering together—and reminds multiculturalism is not theory, but fact.

As Dhekelia plans forward with ventures such as underwriting new community centers or additional cultural events, its members like to cling to that already in place: gathering people together with shared passion, shared space, and shared story.

When various cultures laugh, learn, or celebrate a soccer victory together, society is at its best in Dhekelia—a testament to the fact that people must come first in order for there to be unity.


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