Potamia, Cyprus

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Potamia is a village in the north-east of government controlled Cyprus in the district of Nicosia, close to the Green Line seperating it from the area under Turkish occupation. Together with Pyla and Rizokarpaso Potamia forms one of the few remaining ethnically mixed communities in Cyprus, made up of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Prior to the inter-communal conflict and the Turkish invasion of 1974 the village was mostly inhabitated by Turkish Cypriots, however most Turkish Cypriots have subsequently emigrated to Northern Cyprus, and now the village has a Greek Cypriot majority. Nonetheless, the village has a history of co-existence between the two communities, and Greek and Turkish Cypriots still live side by side. Recently there has been some lobbying to convince Turkish Cypriots to return, and some have done so. There is widespread bilinguality and cooperation between the two communities, and the village has both a Greek and a Turkish Cypriot mayor who work together. In line with the bi-communal character of the village it is the home of Radio Potamia, a Radio FM station that broadcasts equally in Greek and Turkish. These Broadcasts reach Cypriots both in the North and South of Cyprus, with the stated aim of the station being to promote mutual understanding and respect between the communities.