Luckily, we don’t need to understand hieroglyphics or cuneiform to learn about current economic conditions, social upheaval or political critique. However, despite the ease of access to information in the modern era, we still face numerous barriers to enhancing our knowledge and understanding of what is going on across this island, on both sides of the dividing line. 

We have access to news from each community, but it’s usually the kind of news that convinces us there isn’t much new. Rarely do we get the chance to read directly from the source, without filter or interpretation, articles that reflect the thoughts and concerns of prominent thinkers in the ‘other’ community, the prevailing moods within a cross-section of society, or even some behind-the-scenes knowledge on key developments. When our minds wander beyond the buffer zone, seldom do we get the chance to read insightful pieces from people actually living there, providing us with layers of understanding where before there was only black and white. 

This is where penna! comes into play. The Cyprus Dialogue Forum (CDF) Secretariat has pooled together opinion writers from each community, from leading media outlets across the island. Each week, penna! provides verbatim translations of four published columns (two from each community) from the pool of writers selected, placing a mirror to the words and thoughts of the published columnists in two other languages. The four original articles, as well as their translations in English, Greek and Turkish respectively, are posted on the penna! website throughout the week.