Cyprus Forum executive president Nicolas Kyriakides apologised on Tuesday after organisers changed the title used for Turkish Cypriot Nicosia representative Mehmet Harmancı in the event programme, prompting his withdrawal and a series of further pull-outs.
The dispute began when a version of the agenda listed Harmancı as “Mayor of Nicosia Turkish Municipality”. Harmancı said had not requested the title; it had been assigned by the organisers and was later changed after political objections to both the wording and his participation.
The far-right ELAM had called for the title to be changed and for Harmancı’s invitation to be withdrawn altogether. The Cyprus Forum rejected the demand to remove him from the event, but acknowledged that the original designation was not acceptable to the Greek Cypriot side.
Organisers replaced it with “Leader of the Turkish Cypriot community of Nicosia”, wording used at previous joint appearances by Harmancı and Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos.
Harmancı then withdrew, saying the problem was not the alternative wording itself but the impression that the Forum had yielded to political pressure. Prountzos withdrew the following day in solidarity.
Other participants followed. The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research withdrew as a Knowledge Partner and cancelled a panel on education and peacebuilding, while representatives of the Turkish Cypriot Youth Federation also announced they would stay away.
Opening the Forum on Tuesday, Kyriakides acknowledged that the organisers had failed to coordinate adequately with all those involved.
“We did not communicate in advance with everyone we should have, and this had consequences,” he said.
He said people whom the Forum deeply valued had decided not to attend and that their decisions were respected.
“To everyone who believes in peace, we apologise. We heard you, we understand you and we will continue to correct the mistake,” he said.
Kyriakides nevertheless defended the Forum’s role as a platform for difficult public debate.
“Disagreements are the oxygen of democracy. A country where everyone agrees is not a democracy, it is silence,” he said.
He added that the Forum would continue bringing contentious issues into public discussion, arguing that institutions are strongest when they stand on principles.
