Nicosia — or Lefkosa, as it is known on the northern side — remains the last divided capital in the world. Since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, triggered by a coup supported by the Greek junta, the city has been split in two by the UN-patrolled “Green Line.” On one side, the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus; on the other, the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey.

In the narrow streets that end abruptly at checkpoints and barbed wire, daily life unfolds in parallel worlds separated by walls, soldiers, and decades of unresolved conflict. Yet amid the division, there are also signs of resilience: markets, schools, and cultural spaces where people carve out normality in the shadow of a frozen geopolitical stalemate.

This reportage explores the human face of Lefkosa — a city where borders are not just lines on a map, but lived realities shaping identities, memories, and hopes for reconciliation.