Nine bi-communal business partnerships received a total of €500,000 in Nicosia on Monday, at an awards ceremony that placed cooperation between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot entrepreneurs at the centre of the island’s wider conversation on trust, coexistence and reunification. 

The Stelios Bi-communal Business Partnership Awards were held at the offices of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, in the presence of President Nikos Christodoulides, the UN envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, and Senegalese diplomat Khassim Diagne, UN special representative and head of the peacekeeping force in Cyprus, Unficyp. 

Addressing the ceremony, Christodoulides said the awards had become a long-standing institution, adding that he attends the event each year because he “deeply value and believe in what these awards represent”. 

“And if I had to sum it up, it would be this, the essence of the awards lies in the transformative power of cooperation and peaceful coexistence,” he said. 

He added that the awards “cast light and offer a glimpse into the future that Cyprus deserves, the future we envision, one of reunification and co-creation between all Cypriots, within the big family they belong in, the European Union”. 

For Christodoulides, the awards go “far beyond the recognition of successful business partnerships”. Rather, he described them as “a celebration of the spirit of cooperation, mutual trust and shared purpose between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots”. 

“And in this regard, they are a clear demonstration of all that can be achieved when we come together with a common vision for the future,” he said. 

He also described the awards as “a symbol of hope and a testament of what we can achieve together, in our joint aspiration for a reunited, prosperous European Cyprus”. 

“For us, but more importantly, for our children, and for future generations,” he said, adding that “we owe it to this blessed island we have been fortunate to be born in, and we owe it to those who will come after us.” 

The strongest message of the event came from this year’s Gold award winners, Steven Stavrou and Burak Dolai, co-founders of Social Tech Lab and Union Labs, who asked why Cypriots should wait for a settlement before choosing to work together. 

The pair, who received the top prize of €150,000, have been working together for ten years, building two companies across both communities and abroad. 

“This is a truly bicommunal cooperation. We jointly manage two companies and the support offered by these awards helps us to continue, develop and grow,” they said. 

One of their companies supports young entrepreneurs in developing their own businesses, while the other develops software for hospitals. 

Speaking on the sidelines of the ceremony, the two co-founders said bi-communal cooperation was not only a business decision, but also a practical way of building trust, dialogue and mutual understanding. 

“When we really work together we can achieve amazing things. The potential of the two communities, when combined, is much greater than the sum of their individual capabilities. This is important both for us as individuals and for the country as a whole,” they said. 

Speaking to Politis, they added that cooperation between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can create the foundations needed for a future settlement, rather than waiting for one to appear first. 

“Even without a solution to the Cyprus problem, cooperation brings people closer together. It creates dialogue, trust and real partnerships. If a solution comes tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, these are the very elements we will need”, they said. 

The two entrepreneurs also pointed to Cyprus’ limited local market, saying that joining forces made sense for both communities. 

“We live on an island with limited local opportunities. It makes more sense to join forces and work together for the benefit of all,” they said. 

Christodoulides, meanwhile, said the institution was this year marking its 16th anniversary and had evolved “into one of the most meaningful and enduring initiatives promoting bicommunal cooperation through business collaboration, innovation and practical collaboration”. 

He said this was guided by “the firm belief that economic cooperation between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can foster mutual understanding and trust”. 

“And that is precisely what you have succeeded in doing,” he said. 

“This is precisely the vision that Sir Stelios has consistently championed through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation,” he added. 

The president said Cyprus’ history had shown “time and again that Cypriots can live, create and prosper together”. 

“And that is the foundation upon which a reunited Cyprus will be built,” he said. 

He also said the government, and he personally, fully supported “all bicommunal actions and initiatives that bring Cypriots together”. 

“Bi-communal cooperation is essential in supporting and fostering reconciliation and reunification,” he said. 

Turning to Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Christodoulides expressed his appreciation for the foundation’s work, saying its sustained engagement had created opportunities that few initiatives had managed to deliver. 

“Dear Stelios, your generosity and sustained, active engagement through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, has supported truly meaningful cooperation, built trust and created shared opportunities for Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots alike,” he said. 

“In a way very few initiatives have succeeded in doing,” he added. 

The ceremony also saw two Silver awards, worth €100,000 each, presented to partnerships working in different areas of the economy. 

The first went to Michalis Pantelides and Arif Tzebetzi, whose partnership brings together music and craftsmanship through the construction of handmade violins and the restoration of old musical instruments. 

The second Silver award was given to Demetris Ellinas and Memduh Aybar, who work together in PVC ventilation systems and building façade solutions. 

The two entrepreneurs were awarded for the second consecutive year, describing the institution as an important platform that brings the two communities closer through entrepreneurship and innovation. 

For Christodoulides, these partnerships also reflected a wider political and social aspiration. 

“I look at each and every one of you, and I see clearly what all that we do is about: working for a reunited Cyprus within the European Union,” he said. 

“A European Cyprus that is the common home of all Cypriots. A Cyprus of security, stability and prosperity for all its citizens,” he added. 

He said this was why he could not accept that “the current status quo of division and occupation of European territory can be the future of our country”. 

“I cannot accept a future that deprives our children of the limitless opportunities and potential they deserve,” he said. “And I cannot accept that this can be the future of a Member State of the European Union. The greatest peace and reunification process.” 

The president also placed the Cyprus problem firmly within a European framework, saying the European Union remains Cyprus’ “common home”, its “big family” and its “compass”. 

“The Cyprus question is a European one, and as such, demands European answers,” he said. 

“A comprehensive settlement must be in accordance with international law, the United Nations Security Council Resolutions, and with EU legislation, values and principles,” he added. 

Although he acknowledged the difficulties ahead, Christodoulides said he remained convinced that “the path of peace is the only path to walk”. 

“And I also know that we are not alone in walking this path,” he said, “we stand with the European family behind us, at a time when Europe itself is investing in greater unity and security.” 

At the same time, he thanked the UN Secretary-General and Holguin for their efforts to resume negotiations and support a settlement of the Cyprus problem. 

“I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank the UN Secretary General and Holguin for their efforts, their commitment in resuming negotiations and for solving the Cyprus problem,” he said. 

“We are cautiously optimistic and we hope that we will have some good news during the summer,” he added. 

Christodoulides said that, since taking office, he had worked to create the conditions for the resumption of negotiations within the agreed framework. 

“I have pursued every opportunity, every initiative and every avenue that could help move the process forward,” he said. 

“And rest assured that I will continue to do so,” he added. 

In addition to the top prizes, six Bronze awards, worth €25,000 each, were presented to partnerships working in areas ranging from circular economy projects to food, trade, events and film production. 

Andreas Zachariou and Hakan Goksan were awarded for their work in the collection and export of used cooking oils, following six years of cooperation built on trust and a shared vision. 

George Papadikos and Hussein Yavuzkur were recognised for their business in the trade and export of fresh fish across Cyprus, with their partnership described as an example of how trust and friendship can support cooperation between the two communities. 

George Tryfilis and Havva Gyoules, who are active in the trade of goods and services, as well as the management of venues for sports and cultural events, said they plan to reinvest the award in a bi-communal film production focused on the power of cooperation. 

Christos Vassiliou and Hakan Agit were awarded for their work in the production and sale of ice cream and sweets, a business they said is connected to Cyprus’ shared cultural heritage. 

George Anayiotos and Omer Evre, who jointly founded a film production company, were also among the winners, bringing together their common passion for theatre and cinema. 

They said cinema has the power to unite people and carry the stories of Cyprus to audiences beyond the island. 

Finally, Katerina Loizou and Mustafa Afsaroglou received a Bronze award for developing decorative surfaces from agricultural waste, combining innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship. 

Returning to the political message of the day, Christodoulides said that, as president “of all Cypriots”, he remained “unwavering” in his commitment to a viable and lasting settlement. 

“A settlement that will reunify Cyprus and its people,” he said, “a settlement that will allow future generations to grow up in a viable and fully functional European state – reunited, sovereign and free from any foreign intervention.” 

He said this would be “a country where Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins can live, prosper and share their future together”. 

“This is the Cyprus I believe in. This is the Cyprus I will continue to work for,” he said. 

“A country that I know can serve as a model of peaceful coexistence, stability and cooperation in the greater Middle East, and a powerful example of reconciliation and hope for our region and beyond,” he added. 

Closing his address, Christodoulides again commended the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and Sir Stelios “for their dedication in promoting cooperation, trust and peaceful coexistence in Cyprus”. 

“To all this year’s participants and award recipients, heartfelt congratulations,” he said.