Episode - Island Talks

Sesta – Episode 9: Sesta Buffer Fringe Special with Nihal Soğancı and Amy Gowen (31/8/2022)

Sesta-embracing the colours of culture! In this ninth episode of Sesta, Meltem Burak talks to Nihal Soğancı from the creative/organising team of Buffer Fringe Performing Arts Festival 2022, and Amy Gowen from International Community Arts Festival (ICAF) which is the international thinking partner of Buffer Fringe 2022. Throughout the podcast, Nihal and Amy elaborate on Buffer Fringe`s 2022 concept Pockets (beyond), the partnership between ICAF and Buffer Fringe, the Festival`s role as a space for healing and connections, and on their expectations from Buffer Fringe 2022 with regards to conflict transformation in particular. This ninth episode of Sesta is…

Garip Zamanlar – Bölüm 32: Kore’den İskandinavya’ya aşk, seks ve kinizm (20/8/2022)

Garip Zamanlar'ın bu bölümünde Evren İnançoğlu, Kemal Baykallı ve Sertaç Sonan Freud'un ünlü sorusunun peşinde Kore'den İskandinavya'ya dolaşıyor: "Kadın ne ister?" Aşkı bulmak için Kore'ye göç eden batılı kadınlar, İskandinvya'da mutluluk ve kasvet, Japon mutfağı, Stalin'in kötülük skalası, dinleyicilerini geri bildirimleri, konulu seks filmlerinin konuları ve Sertaç'ın Budapeşte izlenimleri bu bölümdeki Garip Zamanlar menüsünde

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 41: Battle over the records of failed talks (14/8/2022)

It is now crystal clear that solution of the Cyprus problem was actually within the reach during 2016 and 2017 summits, it took five years for the Greek Cypriot politics to question the Greek Cypriot leadership's share of responsibility in the failure. While the establishment is fighting the last ditch battle to save Anastasiades and his team from any responsibility by throwing leaked minutes one after another to support their line of interpretation, every new statement from the negotiation team members, every leaked document prove otherwise. In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı question how the leading mainstream media organ is acting like a mouthpiece and a shield instead of carrying out their journalistic duties. While the battle over the records of failed talks is far from over, no presidential candidate seem to offer a realistic strategy on how to resume the talks to solve the Cyprus problem. On the other side of the divide Tatar is under fire, once more, for attending the ceremony of the fifth Islamic Games, taking place in Turkey, while the Turkish Cypriot athletes were not allowed to compete.

Sesta – Episode 8: On abortion with Fezile Osum (1/8/2022)

Sesta-embracing the colours of culture! In this eighth episode of Sesta, Meltem Burak hosts Fezile Osum, an award-winning human rights lawyer. Throughout the podcast, Fezile elaborates on abortion as a legal concept and sheds a light on the latest socio-political developments around the world. She explains what abortion is; how abortion is intertwined with women`s rights and L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ rights; the abortion laws in Cyprus; and what the global bans and restrictions of abortion mean for the development of human rights in Cyprus.

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 40: Presidential race gearing up; yet another UN representative under attack (26/7/2022)

After a summer brake, Nicosia Uncut is back with the latest political developments in Cyprus. Three leading presidential candidates participated in the first debate on PIK, Cyprus state channel, discussing their perspectives on the Cyprus problem. All three candidates, namely DISY leader Averof Neofytou, AKEL's candidate former negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Christodoulides, have been the main figures in current President Anastasides' administration. On the other hand, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres have sent out his 6-monthly report on UNFICYP and UN Good Offices in Cyprus to the UN Security Council. The content triggered attacks on Colin Stewart, UN chief in Cyprus, by pro-government media. Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli discuss the political developments on both sides of the divide on the island.

Garip Zamanlar – Bölüm 31: Lefkoşa’nın elitleri, Viyana’nın köylüleri (17/7/2022)

Garip Zamanlar'ın bu bölümünde Evren İnançoğlu, Kemal Baykallı ve Sertaç Sonan Viyana'nın merkezinde olmayan kasabalardaki insanların sıcaklığını, Avrupa'daki kedi köpek istatistiklerini, Tanıl Bora'nın Ulus Baker'e de gönderme yaparak yazdığı "beytambal" makalesini, ölümcül kimlikleri, dildeki siyasi doğruculuğun geldiği aşmayı, vampirleri ve zombileri konuştular. Spoiler vermemeye çalışarak film anlattılar. Geçmiş programlara verilen geri bildirimleri değerlendirdiler. Nebula mevzuu gelecek programa kaldı.

Sesta – Episode 7: Sesta Pride Special with Alexis Hercules (30/6/2022)

Sesta-embracing the colours of culture! In this seventh episode of Sesta, Meltem Burak hosts author Alexis Hercules. Throughout the podcast, Alexis elaborates on his short story Walk which was published in March 2022 by Arts Against Extremism, a new literary journal dedicated to investigating, understanding and countering extremism. Walk is a sensual short story situated at the heart of nature and war in 1974 Cyprus. Alexis talks about the relationship between Walk`s genesis and his life experiences; his writing style; the idea of 1974 in contemporary Cypriot literature; and his upcoming debut novel Patéras. Alexis shares a small section from Patéras whichwill be published in autumn 2022. The novel is about the social perception of women, patriarchy and domestic violence. This seventh episode is the continuation of Sesta Pride Special series celebrating June, the International Pride Month.

Garip Zamanlar – Bölüm 30: Kebaptan vazgeçmek mümkün mü? Veganizm ve sonrası. (20/6/2022)

Garip Zamanlar'ın bu bölümüde Evren İnançoğlu, Kemal Baykallı ve Sertaç Sonan veganizmi masaya yatırıyorlar. Etik beslenmek mümkün mü? Dünyanın protein ihtiyacını solucanlar ve çekirgeler mi karşılayacak? Z kuşağı sütten utanıyor mu? Almanya'nın veggie döneri. Enternasyonelde hayvan hakları. Bitcoin'de son durum ne? Sertaç'ın dolmuş gibi uçakla Yunan adası ziyareti ve bizde niye böyle olmuyor hayıflanması. Evren'in Viyana seferi ve daha nice ilginç mevzular, Kıbrıs'ın sevilen podcastı Garip Zamanlar'da.

Sesta – Episode 6: Sesta Pride Special with Erman Dolmacı and Diego Aparicio (16/6/2022)

Sesta-embracing the colours of culture! In this sixth episode of Sesta, Meltem Burak talks to Erman Dolmacı (they/them/theirs) and Diego Aparicio (he/him/his). Erman is a PhD candidate on Gender Studies, and a project coordinator at the Human Rights Platform. Diego is the founder and artistic director of the Queer Wave Film Festival. Throughout the podcast, Erman elaborates on the importance of intersectionality. Erman underpins the significance of hearing the margins and constructing peace with a rights based approach in Cyprus. Diego explains the role of Queer Wave in bridging the gap between north and south while encouraging community engagement. The sixth episode of Sesta is a Pride Special episode celebrating the Pride Month ahead of the first Intercommunal Pride in Cyprus. The first Intercommunal Pride will take place on 18 June at 18.00. The march will begin at Kuğulu Park in north Nicosia and at Eleftheria Square in south Nicosia and the two groups will eventually meet at Ledra Palace. The Intercommunal Pride is organised by Queer Collective CY and Queer Cyprus Association, and co-hosted by LGBT-PILIPINAS, LGBT Africa and LGBTQIA+ & Allies Students Club of University of Cyprus.

Figure It – Episode 9: Mustafa Besim unpacks Turkey’s economic protocol with the Turkish Cypriots (10/6/2022)

In this episode of Figure It, Sapienta Economics Director Fiona Mullen talks to Dr Mustafa Besim, Professor of Economics at Eastern Mediterranean University and Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics, about the economy of northern Cyprus, in particular the latest economic and financial protocol worth around 240 million euro signed between the Turkish Cypriot administration and Turkey. What are the protocol’s strengths, what are its weaknesses and what should be the priority for Turkish Cypriot economic policy?