Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou to reward Bi-Communal Business Cooperation

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Founder and Owner of the easy family of brands and the Founder and President of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, will be handing out the awards at the Stelios Cyprus Bi-Communal Business Cooperation Awards 2024, for the 14th year running.

This year’s prizes offer €10,000 to each of the 20 entrepreneurs, each a member of 10 local bi-communal businesses. The total amount of the awards for 2023 will be €200,000.

The Stelios Bi-Communal Awards have become an institution in Cyprus and have been organised since 2009. Since then, the total value of the awards granted by the Stelios Foundation totals €4,390,000 (including this year's €200,000 prize).

The Bi-Communal Business Cooperation Awards competition focuses exclusively on Greek and Turkish Cypriots' business activities.

Applications for the Stelios Bi-Communal Awards can be submitted from Monday, 29 January, until Friday, 15 March, 2024. Interested teams can apply by clicking on the relevant link on the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation website www.steliosfoundation.com.cy and downloading the application form. The completed form should be emailed to marios.missirlis@stelios.com.

According to the terms of the Awards, eligible to participate are Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots whose business has a turnover of at least 10.000 euros per year and employs at least one staff member besides the owner. Please provide evidence of joint venture activity. More specifically, the applicants must prove their shared business endeavours in both communities.

Winners and candidates of previous Stelios awards are welcome to apply again this year, provided they meet all the criteria.

The Award Ceremony for the Stelios Bi-Communal Awards for Business Co-operation will take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the Central Offices of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, located at 5 Markou Drakou Street, Nicosia.

Referring to the Bi-Communal Awards, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou stated: "Business collaboration between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots cultivates and strengthens relationships of trust between the two communities. The joint activities developed with our support contribute to the creation of partnerships and cooperatives, as well as the social and economic development of the island."

Stelios Philanthropic Foundation

The goal of the non-profit Stelios Philanthropic Foundation is to contribute to society by supporting philanthropic activities in Cyprus, Greece, the United Kingdom, and Monaco, where Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is active.

Significant actions of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation include the Bi-Communal Business Cooperation Awards, the Youth Entrepreneurship Awards, with cash prizes awarded to the winners, and the "Food from the Heart" initiative that provides food to thousands of people facing adverse economic conditions. The foundation also provides financial assistance to vulnerable groups and those affected by severe disasters and grants scholarships for young people to attend universities.