What does it mean to live with a border that runs through everyday life, family histories and memories? In this English-language live episode, Ani Menua and Julia Boxler bring together artistic, research and diplomatic perspectives on division, belonging and the possibility of change in Cyprus.

From Rahme’s memories of crossing the divide to Despina’s research on conscientious objection and Mirko’s encounters as a diplomat, we explore the distance between official narratives and lived experience. Nostalgia, colonial legacies and militarisation meet questions of language, solidarity and self-determination.

When does a border become personal, and how does it shape the way we remember?

How can art and acts of refusal challenge established narratives and imagine different futures?

What can spaces for dialogue change, and when do our communities become bubbles?

This is a conversation about the tensions between institutions and everyday life, the limits of fixed identities, and the small encounters through which people question division. Rather than searching for a single story of Cyprus, we listen to perspectives that do not always agree.

Our guests

Despina Psara: Researcher and MA candidate working on critical geographies and the politics of refusal, with a focus on conscientious objectors across the divide.

Rahme Veziroglu: Audiovisual artist, filmmaker and researcher exploring colonial hauntings, absence and alternative temporalities in Cyprus.

Mirko Kruppa: Diplomat bringing a perspective from the German Embassy in Nicosia and experience of working across Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

We recorded on 2 October 2026 at stes koroues in Nicosia, Cyprus, as part of “Between Here And Then: The Politics of Nostalgia & Geographies of the Border”. The programme brought together film screenings, sound, music and a live podcast.

Hosted by X3 Kollektiv: Ani Menua & Julia Boxler.

Artistic programme curated by Pyrgatory Studios: Panagiotis Mina & Nicola Mitropoulou. Screenings co-curated by Cindy Chehab & Nicola Mitropoulou (nicosia cineclub).

With the support of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Nicosia. A Buffer Fringe 2026 Parallel Activity.

Special thanks to stes koroues.

Explore further:

Pyrgatory Studios: Music and releases.

Mentioned in the conversation: “Daughters of God” by Loukia Nicolaides-Vassiliou, A. G. Leventis Gallery.

Mentioned in the conversation: Imagine, the peace education programme of the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research.

Further work by Rahme Veziroglu: “states break away” on Art Viewer.

Stay in touch

Find more episodes on the X3 website and follow @x3podcast on Instagram. Questions, feedback or ideas for future conversations? Write to us at x3podcast@gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram at @x3podcast, or follow Julia @boxxler, Ani @ani.menua and Anna @donotdistort. We’d love it if you followed and rated our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or your preferred podcast platform. It really helps us ❤️

If you’d like to support our work with a donation, we’d be very grateful. Your contribution helps us keep the podcast going alongside our collaborations.

Bank details:
Account holder: X3 PostOst Agency gUG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Bank: FINOM Payments
IBAN: DE37 1001 8000 0714 8873 46
BIC: FNOMDEB2