UN rapporteurs warn Cyprus over obstruction of Imagine peace education programme

Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs—Bernard Duhaime, Alexandra Xanthaki, and Farida Shaheed—have formally expressed concern regarding obstacles facing the 'Imagine' bicommunal peace education programme. In letters dated March 4, 2026, the experts noted that both the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot authorities have failed to respond to inquiries within the mandated 60-day window. The UN rapporteurs highlighted that the Republic of Cyprus delayed the issuance of the Ministry of Education's annual participation circular until February 18, 2026, and alleged that public campaigns have targeted the initiative. Simultaneously, the programme has faced participation suspensions in the northern part of the island. The experts emphasized that 'Imagine' is the primary operational mechanism for building trust between the two communities. They warned that continued failure to uphold peace education obligations could result in breaches of international law. The correspondence remains part of the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures mechanism.