Since a 1974 coup, Cyprus’ Greek and Turkish communities have existed in isolation from one another. Katie Economidou has been deeply involved in bicommunal peace-building efforts in Cyprus since 1994. Having studied conflict resolution extensively in her own country, the United Kingdom, and the United States, she now trains others in the subject and facilitates bicommunal groups in Cyprus. She has initiated cross-community organizations at home and abroad, including the Citizens Action Group for Peace in Cyprus, the Bicommunal Choir, and the Oslo Group. Ms. Economidou also cofounded a number of bicommunal women’s youth and professional groups, including Hands Across the Divide and the Association of Management Studies, which later became the NGO Resource Center in Nicosia. (Last updated 02.2004)

Just as Cyprus’s populations are divided, so too are their business communities. A prominent businesswoman in Cyprus, Barbara Petropoulou-Lillikas is a principal member of several bicommunal organizations—most notably the Business Leaders Group, which comprises 10 representatives each from the Greek and Turkish parts of the island. Although bicommunal meetings have been restricted, the positive results of past cross-community meetings between business leaders demonstrates that, given the right circumstances, social and economic conditions are in place for the commencement of a relationship between the two parts of the island. Ms. Petropoulou-Lillikas is the founder and owner of Marketway, a marketing, advertising, and public relations firm in Cyprus. (Last updated 02.2004)

Efforts are underway for a possible solution to the conflict that has divided the small island of Cyprus along ethnic lines since 1974. Gülden Plümer Küçük is president of the Turkish Cypriot Association of University Women, a non-governmental organization that empowers women to play a role in decision-making mechanisms and to become active policy shapers. Her organization is part of a coalition of nearly 100 NGOs working to define a common vision for the future of Cyprus. This coalition has held several pro-negotiation demonstrations and issued a declaration that called on Cypriot leaders to reach an agreement on the UN plan. A leading member of the Turkish Cypriot community, Ms. Plümer Küçük was invited by the government to participate in a commission on planning reconstruction programs once a settlement is reached. She is the owner and manager of EXPS Ltd., an agency of TNT Express Worldwide. (Last updated 05.2004)

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