Peace2peace Crochet Installations

Peace2Peace is a project where women from all over Cyprus create collaborative public art installations made of yarn. It was founded in June 2016 by Christiana Mouzouri, Elena Daniel, and Nilgun Akin. The women gather to collaboratively create public installations consisting of pieces made with needles or hooks. The term "smili," as crochet is called in the Cypriot dialect, has always brought Cypriot women from all communities together. Shared culture, exchanged patterns, traditional coffee gatherings, and everyday conversations in house courtyards were the "natural order of things." Our workshops aim to replicate this culture of peace, inclusion and coexistence, break prejudices and stereotypes. Crochet, as one of the most widespread traditional crafts, serves as a connecting link in people's daily lives, holding emotional significance through approaches of understanding, acceptance, and inclusion. The group has created installations at various locations in Cyprus from 2016 to 2022. In 2017, it was part of the official program of the European Capital of Culture Pafos2017, in the field of community involvement. In 2018, following an invitation from the Embassy of Cyprus in Israel, Peace2peace’s work was presented at the Israeli Knesset. 

As an initiative, we have participated in programs of foreign universities exploring the role of Women In Conflict Zones and Creating a Culture of Peace, as well as in Art and Activism. Our work has been the subject of study and reference in postgraduate and doctoral programs on these topics. 

It’s a project of social inclusion through art and traditional crafts based on acceptance, civic engagement, transmission of new knowledge, hope, and peace building. 

The installation is a result from an open call to individuals, primarily women, of various ages and social groups living or working in Paphos (throughout Cyprus), including residents of nursing homes, refugees, and migrants. The open call was addressed to all social groups, ages and genders through social media, non-governmental organisations, and social entities. Subsequently, we created workshops that act as a safe, inclusive, and casual space were people meet, create, exchange ideas and experiences. Each person contributes to creating the pieces for the installation within Peace2Peace/Connective Threads community, with respect for diversity and acceptance. The art of crochet serves as a non-formal educational and creative tool, bridging cultural differences and breaking social, economic, and geographic barriers, prejudices, and discrimination. It acts as a connecting link on a basic, everyday level. Threads symbolise warmth and safety and serve as a reference point for individuals regardless of their origins. Thus, traditional practices based on human relationships are reapproached, drawing inspiration to provide a new, more inclusive perspective on the concept of heritage, connecting artistic practice with developments in the social field. 

Everyone is welcome to participate in creating the artworks or assist in setting up the installations.