the tie1st Issue of the 6th National Selection Conference of EYP Cyprus

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editorial

You may or may not have noticed we have Patti Smith on the cover. There’s a reason for this. Having decided as a team to call our daily magazine ‘the tie’, we began looking for a picture of the relevant neck garment. We coincidentally stumbled upon this picture of Patti Smith, which is the cover photo of her debut album ‘Horses/Live’. Horses aside, seen as it featured a tie, and also that this issue is the debut issue of ‘the tie’ itself it seemed only poignant to use it. As for our reason behind choosing such a name for the paper, it is related to the session theme which revolves around tying knots.

Moving on, we hope you enjoy this update on the events of the session and find the topics we chose to speak about appealing.

Toodles!

Elina, Teresa & Clemens

contentspicture of the day

teambuilding: meeting, growing & bonding

goodbye London, hello Rio

backstage with the HOs

BRIC nations

committee work: 8 things to consider

harry, harry, harry...

theme party - rock on!

cause of death: economic crisis

pussy riot and the right to protest

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pictureof theday

teambuilding

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Teambuilding is one of the most important elements of an EYP Session. Some may not agree with me, but I find that it is the key to every other part of the Session.

At the beginning you may not find it useful - you might even find it pointless and embarrassing. But I am absolutely sure that when asked at the end of the day, you would not have found it dull.

Teambuilding is the first step of every EYP session and it essentially consists of playing games with your committee. You probably do not know each other very well, or at all for that matter, but if you want Committee Work to flow smoothly, you need to have a good relationship with each other. You need to trust and feel comfortable with one another. Good teambuilding can accomplish just that.

I could make a never ending list of games, but the purpose is always the same: To become comfort-able with one another.

I always like to observe how during teambuilding you undergo different stages.

The first stage is shyness. You feel very insecure and are not quite sure of how you feel about participat-ing in the games. Then after a couple of energisers and having watched some of your fellow delegates fall down or do other silly stuff, you feel more at ease. Slowly and steadily the feeling that you are part of a team starts growing inside of you, you get more involved with the group and you begin to care for them.

Finally, after succeeding at resolving the human knot or raising the stick balanc-ing on the tips of your fingers, the joy of having accomplished various tasks with your committee members overwhelms you.

You can absolutely feel a difference before and after teambuilding. The bonding between you and with your chairperson are definitely long lasting.

It is important you take

teambuilding seriously and not only as funny games. Apart from the aforementioned reasons why it is important, it is also a way to get to know yourself better, a way to start thinking about who are you and what part you play in the team. EYP can change your life if you let it and I am the proof of this. Letting yourself be part of a team might change your perspective on life.

Enjoy teambuilding because you want to. Enjoy it for yourself. It is there for you to be able to develop as a person and widen your understanding of something you thought you knew. However, ‘enough’ is a word you first have to erase from your diction-ary. You should always be willing to get to know new people, new cultures, new countries. Because this is what EYP is all about, it’s all about you and the experience you choose to gain with its help.

by Laia Silva

teambuilding - meeting, growing and bonding

Potentially the funniest way to meet new people.

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“Mandeville, I already miss you.” Posted 19 days ago by Wenlock.

The handover of the Olym-pic flag from Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, to Ed-uardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, and the extin-guishment of the Olympic Flame marked the end of the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Memories are still fresh so we tried to fit our lasting impressions, comments and questions on what comes next in The Tie.

“Father Waldi would be proud of us”, Mandeville answered. Indeed, London

respond to the requests of the history Olympic Games carry. Athena and Phevos (Athens 2004), Fuwa (Beijing 2008), Syd, Olly and Mil-lieOlly (Sydney 2000), Wen-lock and Mandeville’s older siblings and, of course, Waldi, their very first ances-tor, born and raised in Mu-nich, Germany must be very proud of them. The Games constitute a major opportunity for the host city to showcase itself to the world. London, for example, can now boast about its Olympic venues, world record achievements and participants. With a budget of around ten bil-lion pounds, construction

in preparation for London 2012 involved considerable redevelopment, focusing mainly on sustainability and the dedication of extraordi-nary venues to the Games and the city. Moreover, Lon-don 2012 deservedly claims a rank among the biggest multi-sport events, with 10,500 athletes from 204 countries. It also counted 32 new world records, the ma-jority of which were noted in swimming competitions. Having received widespread acclaim for their organiza-tion and public enthusiasm for their cause, everyone agrees that the London 2012 Summer Games worthily succeeded the

goodbye, London. and where we

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previous ones and set the highest standards for the ones about to come, at the same time demonstrating their upward vertical evolution.

The Games have lately grown to the point where almost every nation is represented. This massive growth has created numerous challenges, such as boycotts, doping, bribery, and terrorism. This year three athletes were suspended and one was stripped of a medal due to positive drug test analysis.

Security services for the 2012 Summer Olympics

were provided by several arms of the British Armed Forces. The operation in-cluded naval and air assets and was the biggest Britain had faced in decades. It is worth mentioning that the day after the city was selected to host the Olympics, the London Underground and a Lon-don buses was attacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists. This means that countries willing to put forward bids to host future Olympics should be ready and able to cope with such specific issues.

So what comes next?

Rio de Janeiro!

A beautiful city in a special country has already started getting ready for the upcoming Games. In 1434 days Rio’s Olympics will come to reality.

Impatience and curiosity… One can already feel the atmosphere, imagine the colours and get involved in the craziest Olympics of all times. The challenge is great but so are the possibilities.

by Danae Tselou

hello, Rio! go from now

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There are two people without whom none of us would be here at the 6th

National Session of EYP Cyprus. The Tie proudly presents the brains of this

event: Andreas Damtsas, 18 from The English School of Nicosia and

Melissa Shukuroglu, 18 from the GC School of Careers.

backstage with the head organisers

When and why did you start EYP?Melissa: I started EYP two years ago because I was a member of my school’s debating club and I was re-ally into it.Andreas: At a National Ses-sion three years ago be-cause I thought it would be cool to try something new.

What is it like being a Head Organiser?Melissa: Being a Head Or-ganiser is very demanding. We have been working a whole year for this session and it is very hard work but I think it is worth it because if it were not for us the session would have never happened. It is fun because I always meet new people and make new friends. I am very glad to be part of it.Andreas: Well, it is really re-warding but a lot of work.

What is the best thing about being a Head Or-ganiser? Melissa: Making new friends is the best thing.Andreas: The outcome of the session after all the hard work.

What is the most annoy-ing thing about being a Head Organiser? Melissa: Staying up late – definitely the worst thing.Andreas: There is nothing annoying about being a Head Organiser because

you gain so much that the stress does not even count.

Can you describe your feelings about the session in one sentence?Melissa: I am nervous but I think by the end of the session I will be happy.Andreas: I cannot put my feelings about the session in one sentence - then again; this counts as a sentence, right?

What are your expecta-tions for the session?Melissa: Well, our job is to organise everything so I am hoping by the end of the session everyone will be happy and pleased.Andreas: We want to make it the best session ever up until now.

What is the best thing about your co- HO?Melissa: He is very reliableAndreas: She is always calm and she always finds solu-tions.

What is the one thing you would change about your co-HO?Melissa: I cannot think of anything. Andreas: Melissa’s fear of insects, she sees a cockroach and starts screaming.

If you had a superpower which one would it be? Melissa: I would like to fly and be invisible.Andreas: I would like to fly because I hate traffic jams.

What is the most embar-rassing thing that has happened to you in EYP?Melissa: Dimi is the most embarrassing thing that happened. It is the stuff he says about me - and it is not true by the way. Andreas: It was at an Inter-national Session in Lviv and I ripped my jeans from the top to the very bottom dur-ing teambuilding. I had to walk around in Ukraine with a jacket covering my jeans.

After having this interesting chat, the Head Organisers had to continue with their duties to keep the session running. We would like to thank the lovely pair for their hard work and for sharing some of their precious time to answer our questions.

by Joune Kawas & Rifat Koseouglu

juice &

banter

once closed to outside investors, there now are a number of initiatives designed to attract inves-tors to specific sectors. Examples being Examples include Free Trade Zones and High Technology Parks. Similarly, in an effort to encourage foreign invest-ment, the Indian govern-ment has given incentives for companies that invest in export-orientated indus-tries. As the largest country in the world, Russia with abundant natural resources and a population of roughly 142million people offers many opportunities for overseas investors. Russian policies to encourage these investments include tax re-liefs, reduced administrative barriers and incentives for the development of public- private partnerships. Russia also has the lowest corpo-rate tax rate of any G8 or BRIC country so that a large increase in foreign direct investment could be ob-served over the recent years - especially from European countries.

However, these great trad-ing opportunities actually put traditional and domes-tic markets at risk, causing a decline in Western industri-al production. Additionally, growth in military capabili-ties in the BRIC nations

questions the USA’s and the EU’s superpower status, as vast nuclear potential is widely feared. It is estimated that China will have reached the same military capacity as the USA by 2020.

Despite the dangerously rapid growth of these economies, high levels of bureaucracy, political differences and corruption have acted as barriers to these countries being more actively engaged in world-hegemo-ny. Currently, 128 million Chinese live below the poverty line and India only ranks 119th on the Human Development Index according to the Economic Times. Additionally, India has been in ongoing political and military disputes with its neighbour Pakistan. These factors increase social unrest, limit government finances and also restrict potential domestic economic demand. With these domestic divides it is difficult for the BRIC nations to just swoop in and take over. The European community benefits from these nations and is safe from their emerging power - for now.

Four extremely powerful and potentially worrying words: Brazil, Russia, India and China. These four countries known as the BRIC nations are the next economic powerhouses which will greatly influence the global econo-my. By 2050 it is estimated that these nations will ac-count for 40% of the Global Domestic Product (GDP). In composing 25 per cent of global land coverage and 40% of the planet’s population, continuing globalization makes these emerging economies an obvious threat to the Euro-pean community. They will inevitably shake up the cur-rent superpowers’ stability. However, it may not be all that bad. Despite the chal-lenges that the BRIC nations pose to the EU, they also offer some opportunities, especially in the trade and investment sectors.

China holds the world’s largest population and has just surpassed Japan as the world’s second- largest economy. With a growing and increasingly affluent middle class spending their earnings on cars, property and consumer goods, it is a market that Western companies are increasingly looking to be a part of. While the economy was by Susannah Karatzia

BRIC nations

the building blocks of tomorrow?

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Committee work is the part that comes after the sweat generated playing the big fat pony, attempting to balance a pole with your finger and getting hit by a tennis ball because your eyes are too tired to focus on catching it.

It is the serious part.

Delegates sit down to discuss particular topics and the aim is to write a resolution on which you can all agree. Committee work is interesting but can be stressful and exhausting. So here are some tips on how to pull through this part of the session.

1. First of all, make sure you get at least a few hours of sleep, a good shot of caffeine and a hearty break-fast to make sure your body is fuelled for the day that lies ahead. You will be max-ing out your brain cells with all that hard thinking so make sure you eat and get plenty of fluids. Diet starts on Monday.

2. Make sure you know what your topic is about. I am sure all of you have worked extremely hard in thinking of points and possible solutions in be-tween partying at Guaba and frying on the beach this summer. Do not make the

mistake of not having a clue about your topic and finding yourself blurting out the problems with overfish-ing in the Atlantic if you are in ECON.

3. Get involved! You are here for a reason. And this reason is that someone saw potential in you. If you are quite a shy character do not be afraid to speak a point even if it is short or adding to another point. More importantly, if you are quite a bold character make sure to step back and give the opportunity to others to speak, too.

4. Committee work discus-sions can get quite heated and the Cypriot weather does not help the situation. You need to have a flexible approach to the matter and be prepared to listen to other people’s opinions. Try to also incor-porate others’ ideas rather than insisting on your own points. Respect for fellow delegates is key to deliver-ing a sophisticated resolu-tion.

5. Do not fall asleep. It is as simple as that!

6. Know your resolution inside out, back to front and in any other way possible before GA. Once it is your resolution’s turn to be

debated, you need to be quick and precise with answers. Do not try to avoid the questions as there are 3 rounds of open debate and the question will be repeated.

7. We have also kindly provided each committee with two chairs. Not to sit on though. They have been placed there for guidance, not to write your resolution for you. By all means ask if there is anything you do not understand, but do not expect them to lie on the floor with you writing on your A2 flipcharts.

8. Finally: Have fun. You are here to learn and interact, but also actually enjoy yourselves. If you have questions do nothesitate to ask someone, even if it is “where is the toilet?” You are here to change the face of Europe and find solutions to challenges Europe is facing. Committee work is where it all begins, so work hard in order to feel proud when your resolution gets passed in General Assembly.

by Susannah Karatzia

8things to consider for committee work

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Moreover, we should bear in mind that darker secrets abound and have been bred within Royal spheres throughout time and are likely to emerge one day or the other. Effectively, nowa-days, due to the expansion of a phenomenon called the Internet, privacy has be-come a golden dish for illustrious people who re-main easy targets. Hence, the press intensely med-dles in personal affairs and tends to magnify happen-ings - the spot light this time being set on Prince Harry’s unfortunate situa-tion depicting it as a disgrace.

dispossessed and stripped from his nobility due to ex-cess and dishonor. Subsequently, should a line be drawn between royalty and ‘normality’ or an attempt be made to rec-oncile both in a balanced merging?

When realism replaces ide-alism, Cicero’s cuiusvis est errare (errors are common) comes to mind as some realize that Prince Harry, in spite of his public embar-rassment, is nonetheless a man torn between a frigid, restrictive value system and a natural inclination to-wards pleasure-seeking.”.

In a world constantly evolving, where current attitudes, mentalities and values are gradually supplanted by others - should we acknowledge that the universal definition of royalty is rendered obsolete and shouldthus transform and adjust itself alongside the developments of our societies? Are we in need of a modern Royal family?

by Marie Poupinel

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harry, harry, harry...“The crown o’ the earth doth melt.”-William Shakespeare

News of British Royalty’s unveiled sovereign jewels radiated throughout the world press, sparking ardent complaints and adding yet another controversy to the long line of regal scandals. The bantering which spread like wildfire inevitably raised into question the image royalty is expected to convey, the role it is supposed to assume, the adequate behavior it should thrive to apply amidst a twenty-first century realm where privacy is compromised and moral judgments pervade.

A polished crown, pres-tigious attires, a trail of servants and a flourish of trumpets;picturing royalty as a model of perfection and glory has unconsciously been planted into our impressionable ’commonplace‘ minds. Indeed, from children’s tales to Shakespearian Kings’ splendour and radiance, we have been conditioned

to accept this depiction of superiority - unattainable Royal Families, who dress themselves as providers of stability, offering an accurate image representative of their country and its people. Consolidating national unity, a symbol of cohesion under which each citizen rallies itself, one can ultimately see the heavy duties and responsibilities that flow with blue blood.

Beneath the mask of virtue and supremacy lies the obscured facette. Indeed, the British Prince himself poses as a role-model, an inspirational figure to whom his people turn, rely on for guidance and relate to. Being a much glorified figure constitutes a real strain, as the public image of Britain, embodied by the Prince, is at stake. Consequently, the com-promising photos divulged by Sun Magazine of Prince Harry’s excesses in Sin City

display a tarnished image of British Royalty fallen into decadence.Ultimately, questions of morality and duty emerge, as Prince Harry appears to have reversed the conven-tional protocol, discredit-ing the traditional etiquette and mannerism proper to a Prince by acting recklessly. Governed by ‘testosterone surges’, an apparent im-pulse for leisure and pleas-ure, one might perceive this so called ’ignominy’ as an indicator of Prince Harry’s aching desire for normality in the confines of wild Las Vegas parties. Complaints following the publication of the photos online not only show the impact of the Royal Family’s actions on the general public but also reveal how much the British are attached to tra-dition. Normality seems to be incompatible with Roy-alty, a fact clearly explored throughout literature with the decline of Shakespeare’s noble Anthony

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An essential part of every EYP session is certainly the theme party. It is that time of a ses-sion when you can go as cra-zy as you want, throw away all the tiredness of the day and just let everything out. The teambuilding, instead of leaving the delegates exhausted and fatigued, gave them an unexpected boost of energy. And since this year’s theme is Hard Rock, everyone lets their wild side come out.

As you can imagine, quite a lot of people dressed up with a ‘Hard Rock Café’ t-shirt. Now, one can say that it was way too predictable, seeing ‘Hard Rock Café’ t-shirts everywhere you looked. Maybe that was the case, but there were people that really let their creativity loose. The delegates that dressed up with rock band t-shirts made a difference and some girls with spikes and messy, crazy hair were quite the rockers. Parts of the officials’ team went back in time and reminded us of old hard rock, with flashy, classy clothes and guitar stands. A weird-looking guy was also spotted letting loose on the dance floor, with a see-through top and futur-istic, Matrix-style sunglasses. Some people call him by the name ‘Papas’. His real name is quite a mystery.

However, what really drew the attention was the

inspiring fashion style of the organizers’ team, who were dressed in the likes of ‘KISS’.White faces everywhere, their eyes and, of course, a wild mood. Let’s just hope that their wild mood will not drift away all too soon!

The party was definitely a blast. Everyone, delegates, chairs, journos, organizers, even some of the teachers came to the dance floor. The delegates were excited, dancing around with their now fellow, recently strangers to them, delegates. There was even a little show by a delegate who performed a hip hop sequence. He was cheered by everyone. The party also featured a dance battle between Dimi and Markos that made everyone around them burst into laughter.

The party ended with a traditional Greek dance known as ‘zeimpekiko’. What was pleasantly funny though was the fact that all the international officials were wondering what on earth were the Cypriots doing with their arms wide open and their dizzy steps, dancing to the rhythm of ‘Roza’. They got their explanation afterwards.The party was a success. So go on and rock and roll, EYPers and keep your wild mood for the rest of the par-ties coming up!

theme rock on!

party

by Anastasia Liopetriti

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found that it is more likely for a man to commit suicide over financial struggles and unemployment than over a damaged relationship or loneliness.

Many businesses had to close down due to lacking financial resources, thus leaving a great number of people unemployed. Being an unpaid worker for more than a year can cause

major issues, not only in terms of someone’s practical situation but may even cause depression. If the person providing for a family loses their job, the whole family is affected. One of the main reasons why victims commit suicide is that they simply cannot watch their families suffer. Depression caused by dis-appointment. To conclude, these tragic incidents

should alert everyone that there are people in need of a loving and helping envi-ronment. We need to help them overcome their fear of loneliness and depres-sion. We need to help them believe that there is a better future if we work hard and regain power as nations and united in Europe.

by Christiana Karamalli

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cause of death:

economic crisis

A desperate seventy-seven year old retiree shot himself outside the Greek Parliament on April fourth, because of the financial crisis.

He left a note behind saying “Sorry, I cannot take it anymore”.

With the economic crisis commencing globally in 2008, we saw people los-ing jobs, houses, and now even more tragically, family members. People should consider why or how some-one comes to the point of setting an end to their life. The crisis continues to grow all over Europe and it would be naïve to say that society will not have any more vic-tims. This piece is meant to help us understand how the

financial crisis affects people’s psychology.

So many people have been committing suicide and leaving behind notes citing financial hardship as the cause, to the point that European media outlets have given them a special name: “economic suicides.” Surveys show increas-ing signs of mental stress. With a jump in the use of antidepressants and illicit drugs, a rise in depression and anxiety among workers worrying about salary cuts or layoffs, and an increasing number of people taking sick leave due to psychological problems.

Starting with the most recently affected countries such as Greece, Italy and

Ireland there has been an increase in the number of suicides. In Greece more than one fifth of the youth is unemployed and the suicide rate among men rose by more than 24 per cent between 2007 and 2009. In Ireland, suicide among men rose by 15 per cent, whereas in Italy it rose by 52 per cent between 2005 and 2010.

“The financial crisis puts the lives of ordinary people at risk, but much more dan-gerous is when there are radical cuts to social protec-tion,” said David Stuckler, a sociologist at the Univer-sity of Cambridge, who led a study published in ‘The Lancet’ that saw a sharp rise in suicide rates across Europe. Dr. Ella Arsenam

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pussy riot and the right to protest

‘… in times like these, when people of different nationalities and religions live together, accepting

the political power of a religious leader can lead to catastrophe.’

Pussy Riot. The extraordinary name of this extraordinary band has become the synonym for revolution these couple of days. Three members of the band, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alyokhina, appeared on the altar of the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow and started performing what they called a Punk Prayer against president Putin. Consequently they were arrested and sentenced to two years in a penal colony (the modern version of the infamous Gulags of the Soviet era), after a trial that was characterised a show trial by many of the groups’ supporters.

Though the story seems to be simple, the truth behind it is much more complex. To truly understand the rea-sons that led to this protest we must gain some basic knowledge of the political background of modern Russia. 1991 saw the birth of the Russian Federation after the disintegration of the Soviet Regime with wide range privatisation and radical economical changes promoted by the USA and the IMF.

Additionally, the socio-political background also changed considerably.

After the oppression by the Soviets was lifted, the Orthodox Church assumed a position of great political influence by having millions of supporters all over Russia. This created tension between the supporters of more left wing ideologies and the newly ‘freed’ conservatives, leading to the election of Vladimir Putin in 1999, who stayed in office until now, only substituted by Dmitry Medvedev because of consecutive term number restrictions. Being suspected of corruption and election fraud, the rule of the Putin government was always controversial.

And so we arrive at the time before the 2012 elections in which Vladimir Putin announced that he would run as a candidate. The Russian Patriarch Kirill had openly supported the re-election of Putin, stating that he is a “miracle of God” thus giving place to further criticism of the growing ties between church and state in Russia. One of the main critics, you guessed well, was ‘Pussy Riot’ and their in-church protest, which was fashioned as an answer to the Patriarchs’ statement. They have also stated that the church is a “weapon in a dirty election campaign” and that Putin is “a man who is as far as can be from

God’s truth.”

I believe that in times like these, when people of different nationalities and religions live together, accepting the political power of a religious leader can result in a catastrophe. An example for this can be found in the contemporary history of Cyprus. When Archbishop Makarios III was given the presidency of the newly born Cypriot state, the apple was already poisoned.

Thus I am convinced that although freedom of religious choice must be upheld, no one has to accept religious leaders in politics. Just as the whole free world has now voiced its opinion about ‘Pussy Riot’, it is time for us to stand against political imprisonment and oppression - united.

by Mark Merkouris

Philonas Demetriou

EYP is an opportunity to meet with people and discuss some pressing issues that the EU should take action on.

Flora Mavri

It is an experience to meet new people and also a way of projecting the problems the EU is

facing right now so young people are given the chance to give some solutions for these issues.

Elina Zanettou

It will be fun because we can meet lots of new people with whom we will be good friends.

Eleana Demosthenous

It will all be like a huge family with a lot of kids talking about different things, making friends,

bonding and feeling comfortable with each other.

by Mark Merkouris

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The sun is up, the birds are singing and we are all about to become pools of sweat on the floor. As you all know, Cypriot weather is very unpredictable which is why this special daily weather forecast is absolutely essential. Just kidding - the sun is as scorching as every other day. No clouds are in sight, with even the smallest breeze raising our hopes, and yet destroying them as soon as the air stands still. However with a smile on your face and a spring in your step, the 30 degrees weather will go unnoticed, especially if you hide inside and drink lots of water.See you soon delegates hopefully in one solid piece with some more 411 on the weather.

the acting queen

Our first talent of the day is Georgia Antonopoulou from LIBE. Georgia is an Ancient Greek theatre actor and she has performed several times in Cypriot theatres. She got involved in An-cient Greek theatre in her school and has always had a passion for acting. She says that she is especially interested in Ancient Greek theatre because it represents a rich cul-ture. Even though she did not yet test her talent on interna-tional stages, we hope that one day her abilities will be known beyond the borders of Cyprus.

by Rifat Koseoglu

by Joune Kawas

thesunnyweatherreportswhat do you think EYP

will give you?

THE EYP CYPRUS WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF ITS GENEROUS SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS FOR THEIR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS IN MAKING THIS SESSION POSSIBLE FOR ALL ITS PARTICIPANTS.

CO-ORGANISERS

SPONSORS

SUPPORTERS

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