Stelios bi-communal awards present €500,000 to business partnerships

On June 8, 2026, the 16th annual Stelios Bi-Communal Awards for Business Co-operation were held in Nicosia at the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation headquarters. Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou awarded a total of €500,000 to nine partnerships, each composed of one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot entrepreneur. A total of 39 teams, comprising 78 participants, applied for the awards this year. The top prize of €150,000 was awarded to Steven Stavrou and Burak Dolay for their work with Social Tech Lab and Union Labs. The ceremony was attended by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, UN personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, and UN special representative Khassim Diagne. Since the initiative began in 2009, the foundation has contributed a total of €5.3 million to foster economic cooperation between the two communities. The event aimed to promote peaceful coexistence and entrepreneurship across the island. The winning projects span sectors including technology, manufacturing, sustainability, gastronomy, and film.