Update: President Eroglu has invited
President Anastasiades to Deep Purple´s rock concert, which is scheduled to May 24 at the Near East University in Nicosia.
Eroglu said that he had invited the Greek Cypriot president during recent negotiations, but had not received a response. The president said he will invite Anastasiades back to the concert marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the university.
Recently the band’s singer, Ian Gillan wrote a statement on his own website “Caramba”, in which he defends the band’s decision to appear in Northern Cyprus from criticism from the Greek Cypriots. He said that the band does not take sides, and that Deep Purple has performed in many areas of conflict during their touring history.
“We’ve never been on one side or the other when it comes to performing music. I remember, during the Cold War, to hear about the visit to London of the Bolshoi Ballet and the best football teams from Moscow, even Cossack dancers, and many other cultural exchanges between the West and the Soviet Union. the diplomatic and cultural side was always open for art, entertainment and sports, no matter how scary and confronting the rest of it was, “said Gillan.
Besides concert invitation, President Eroglu said that he and his negotiators are aiming for a referendum to settle the dispute, in three months. “But Anastasiades think there will be a solution in 2015,” he said. Peace talks started again in February after two-year hiatus.
Previously published: Deep Purple concert on
May 24 are included in the Near East University’s 25th anniversary and is preparing to accommodate tens of thousands of fans who will flock to the concert. NEU say they build a park that covers 220,000 square meters to hold the event and the scene will be 1250 square meters. There are plans to construct a massive tent area and several food and drink stalls will be provided. 200 toilets will be built, and thousands of trees will be planted in the new park.
They added that the total cost of the University’s new park and the concert is about 3 million TL (about £900,000).
In response to a question from the Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kibris Postasi, whether Greek Cypriots measures to stop the concert has been said, Murat Tuzunkan, NEU Secretary General: “In the time when peace negotiations are ongoing and we are all hoping for a solution, a rock concert , which is not a political event, should unite people. Music is a universal language and should not be regarded as a threat to anything. We invite everyone to participate. concert will be free for all who come from Cyprus. This concert can be seen as a confidence-building measure and gesture that shows that we can be united by the universal spirit of music. “
The university also announced that charter flights will be organized for all, from the rest of the world, if they want to come to the concert. Deep Purple will fly to Cyprus on NEU‘s private jet.
Previously published:
Ian Gillan, frontman for “Deep Purple” band will perform at the Near East University in Nicosia, May 24
After the inevitable buzz of the band’s decision to secede in the unrecognized TRNC, Ian has written a letter on his own website “Caramba!” where he goes out and says he does not intend to take sides. He says the band has performed all over the world,
and he is not willing to choose sides in the Cyprus dispute. Ian explained that historically, the band has always firmly decided: “To perform everywhere we are invited, regardless of local problems / conflicts, wars, earthquakes, riots, typhoons, strikes, riots, gun–fire and so on.”
Ian concluded: “And the same should apply to Cyprus, irrespective of the gap.
And I might add that in our past, many visits to Turkey and Greece have been fantastic. I personally have friends in both countries.
To read the full post, click here.
