In a world often divided by lines on a map, two young women from Cyprus are proving that some bonds grow stronger when nurtured by a shared love for the land they call home. Nersu Yahi and Constantina Zakou, came together as United Nations Youth Champions for Environment and Peace, transforming a simple idea into a powerful symbol of cooperation.
Their journey began with a shared motivation: to create something meaningful. For Nersu, it was the chance to "create space for children to connect with nature" and support a culture of peace from an early age. For Constantina, it was joining an UN-supported mission to protect Cyprus’s natural environment while promoting mutual recognition between communities.
A project in bloom
“One common pot”, the initiative they helped implement was both simple and profound. Their team, made up of youth from across the island, organized bi-communal events in the villages of Pyla/Pile and Frenaros, intentionally moving beyond Nicosia to ensure equal access. Cypriot children from both communities were invited to decorate pots, plant herbs, and take home a living symbol of their shared effort.
"Seeing children happily planting together, helping one another, and enjoying the activity was a very meaningful highlight for me," Nersu recalls with warmth. Constantina adds, "I was proud of how respectfully and sensitively our team approached both our goal and our guests."
Breaking ground, building bridges
Beyond the planting activities, the human connections formed between the UN Youth Champions themselves became the project's unspoken success. Constantina describes a meaningful visit to Pyla/Pile with her Turkish Cypriot teammate: "I appreciated being welcomed into her home village, which felt far, yet so close to my own homeplace. It made me feel again how our island can be both big and small at the same time."
For Nersu, a simple honest conversation revealed how similar their "concerns and hopes for the future are": a realization that dialogue "can break down stereotypes much faster than expected."
The environment as common ground
Both women passionately believe the environment offers unique common ground. "The environment is a shared responsibility that knows no boundaries," Nersu observes.
Constantina offers a powerful perspective: "Cypriot identity should not depend on ethnicity, but on how we respect the land that sustains us. The real enemy is not each other, but those who destroy nature for profit or neglect."
They discovered unexpected common concerns too, including shared worries about wildfires and environmental protection. This shared focus, they agree, made collaboration effortless. "Having a common goal made communication easier and strengthened trust," Nersu notes.
Carrying the legacy forward
Today, being a UN Youth Champion for Environment and Peace holds deep personal significance. For Nersu, it means "taking an active role in projects that create positive spaces for children." For Constantina, it carries "the pride of having helped organize two bi-communal events that welcomed and respected people from both communities... that moment, brings me a smile, a sense of recognition, and a bit of hope."
Their hopes for the future are rooted in this experience. Nersu wishes to see "more youth-led initiatives that bring communities together," while Constantina dreams of organizing events "in any other part of our island."
Through pots, plants, and open hearts, Nersu and Constantina have shown that peace, like a seedling, needs careful tending, shared space, and common ground to flourish. Their story is a testament to a new generation of Cypriots planting hope, one herb, one conversation, and one friendship at a time.
The UN Youth Champions for Environment and Peace is an initiative supported by the British Council and several partners and underscores UNFICYP’ steadfast commitment to the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, recognising the indispensable role of young people as drivers of sustainable peace and environmental stewardship in Cyprus and around the world.
