Brussels, 22/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Union has rewarded eight Turkish Cypriot projects as part of a programme for the "Promotion of youth exchanges and other people-to-people contacts". This is an initiative supported by the European aid programme to encourage exchanges between the Turkish Cypriot community and the European Union, with funding of €259 million. The projects have been awarded prizes of values from €13,000 to €129,000. They cover activities which will be developed over a period from three months to 24 months, either by private persons or informal groups, or by organised civil society. Those involved in the project will have the opportunity to take part in workshops, seminars or conferences, exchanges which will help them to enrich their projects and establish contact with European third parties. The projects supported have a number of objectives, including developing the art of ceramics, multiculturalism in young Turkish Cypriots, water desalinisation techniques, an architectural festival in Nicosia, etc. The European programme allows Turkish Cypriots to meet and get to know their opposite numbers from the European Union, by taking part in a broad range of activities. The objective of these activities, which take place in the member states of the EU, is to improve their understanding of European values and multicultural experiences and traditions. (I.L./transl.fl)