Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

FOUNDER of easyJet and serial entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou launched the 2010 Stelios Award for Business Cooperation in Cyprus at a bi-communal event in Nicosia’s buffer zone on Monday.
Some 140 people attended, hoping to make business contacts across the Green Line that might also net them one of the five €50,000 prizes on offer this year.
The award, which is in its second year of four, promotes islandwide bi-communal business co-operation between entrepreneurs in Cyprus by giving promising ventures the funding boost they need to grow. The award is funded personally by Haji-Ioannou through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation.
Entrants must comprise at least one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot who work together in a business venture. Not-for-profit endeavours can also apply, provided their activities are conducted in a business-like manner. Last year’s five winners were selected from almost 50 entries.
“We’re not looking for spectacular financial success here. I would like to see change at work – I decided to do this to invest in change-makers,” Haji-Ioannou said. He also emphasised that the award scheme is not endorsed or sponsored by any official government entity.
“This is about business, not politics. Entrepreneurs are more flexible, a lot more pragmatic about things. I hope the money that goes into these businesses will effect change, through one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot co-operating with each other, having to understand each other, to learn about the differences – the cultural issues, the language issues. I hope this will be a way of achieving lasting peace.”
Well known journalist and broadcaster Sir Trevor Macdonald, who is in Cyprus filming a documentary for ITV about Haji-Ioannou’s links with the island, also spoke briefly at the event.
He said the Stelios Awards reminded him that some years ago, he got into “an awful lot of trouble” for suggesting that while he saw the possibilities of reconciliation in South Africa, he “did not see any possibility of rapprochement in Northern Ireland”, based on the dislike and vicious hatred he saw between the two communities there.
He said that part of the strategy for a political solution in the north of Ireland – which ultimately paid off – was to invest in the local economy and to involve people from both communities in that emerging economy, “to make them invest part of their lives, part of their interests, in a viable economy which gave benefits to both sides.”
Stelios Philanthropic Foundation Director Marie-Louise Bang said: “People this year are more familiar with the idea of the Stelios Award, more relaxed and more responsive to it. What I love is the fact that this year people came armed with information about their businesses, they knew what they were getting into, and were positive. There is still hope and passion here, even when people know they are taking a risk.”
All applications will be reviewed by representatives of the Stelios Award for Business Cooperation in Cyprus. Finalists and winners will be chosen personally by Haji-Ioannou, who will present a €50,000 cheque to up to five winning teams in late 2010.

n For more information, visit www.stelios.com/cyprus-business-cooperation

Recognition, friends and trouble for last year’s winners
Maria Theochari, Highgate School, which offers integrated trilingual education from pre-K to grade 12 in Nicosia, said that winning the award had enabled her and partner Zubeyir Agaoglu to carry out “a huge number of activities”, including writing booklets in different languages and developing a documentary on tolerance. It has also generated a number of invitations from abroad – Belfast is their next destination in June – to speak about trilingual education. “It’s been an absolutely amazing journey for all of us”, she added.
Unsal Ozbilenler of C&A Agricultural Products, which packs, distributes and exports agricultural products grown islandwide, said that although €50,000 was not a huge amount for a business, having won it as a Stelios Award had made raising credit from banks easier, and had raised their profile generally. “We seem to have more friends now, both banks and commercial people”.
Izzet Zorlu of Papazor Enterprises Ltd, an internet-based car and villa rental service, said that he and his partner Stathis Papaefstathiou had so far only spent around €9,000 of the award money, on registering their internet domain. “People should take this award very seriously; it is a very great opportunity,” he said.
Praxoula A. Kyriacou of the Three Ladies Team, an economic research and consulting company advising clients on intra-island trade, said that although winning the award money was useful, more important was the fact that “the award has given us more credibility, so that people are more willing to listen to a positive message”.
Andreas Petrides of OSP Continental Trading Ltd, which manufactures PVC windows and doors for sale islandwide, said: “Winning the money got us into trouble.” He explained that the higher profile he and his partners achieved as award-winners meant they received more official scrutiny. This resulted in the authorities establishing that the company did not have the CE certification for their products required by the European Union – something they are now in the process of rectifying.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/steli ... s/20100519

[Get Real!]

Yeah, yeah we know about Stelios... he's a dickhead btw who at one time was suing companies left, right, and center for using “reserved” words in their business names!

[YFred]

Yeah, yeah we know about Stelios... he's a dickhead btw who at one time was suing companies left, right, and center for using “reserved” words in their business names!

He's got GC blood right?

[DT.]

Yeah, yeah we know about Stelios... he's a dickhead btw who at one time was suing companies left, right, and center for using “reserved” words in their business names!

He's got GC blood right?

He is completely GC. Father from Palaichori i think, hence his dad's shipping company called Troodos.

Man's a prick.

[YFred]

Yeah, yeah we know about Stelios... he's a dickhead btw who at one time was suing companies left, right, and center for using “reserved” words in their business names!

He's got GC blood right?

He is completely GC. Father from Palaichori i think, hence his dad's shipping company called Troodos.

Man's a prick.

His name has Haci in it. Has he been to mecca. Does he bat for both sides?

[DT.]

Yeah, yeah we know about Stelios... he's a dickhead btw who at one time was suing companies left, right, and center for using “reserved” words in their business names!

He's got GC blood right?

He is completely GC. Father from Palaichori i think, hence his dad's shipping company called Troodos.

Man's a prick.

His name has Haci in it. Has he been to mecca. Does he bat for both sides?

Haji for all those who lack any knowledge of what goes in with 82% of the population of this island was added to name once someone goes to Jerusalem.

[Get Real!]

His name has Haci in it. Has he been to mecca.

Being a Christian you mean Jerusalem!

[YFred]

His name has Haci in it. Has he been to mecca.

Being a Christian you mean Jerusalem!

The Hajj (Arabic: حج‎ Ḥajj) is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

As this is where it originates from, when was it introduced to christanity? By Ottoman's by any chance?

While we are at it, why do we have so many greek names ending with oglu?

What's goin on with our patriot friends?

[Viewpoint]

This very clever plan to reveal those who work accross the border so they can be persecuted is confirmed by the following statement;

"Andreas Petrides of OSP Continental Trading Ltd, which manufactures PVC windows and doors for sale islandwide, said: “Winning the money got us into trouble.” He explained that the higher profile he and his partners achieved as award-winners meant they received more official scrutiny. This resulted in the authorities establishing that the company did not have the CE certification for their products required by the European Union – something they are now in the process of rectifying."

[B25]

This very clever plan to reveal those who work accross the border so they can be persecuted is confirmed by the following statement;

"Andreas Petrides of OSP Continental Trading Ltd, which manufactures PVC windows and doors for sale islandwide, said: “Winning the money got us into trouble.” He explained that the higher profile he and his partners achieved as award-winners meant they received more official scrutiny. This resulted in the authorities establishing that the company did not have the CE certification for their products required by the European Union – something they are now in the process of rectifying."

Bollocks, if he was working without the necessary approvals, damn right they could knock on his door.

This was just what appears to be a publicity stunt for Mr S.

I hope the GC take note and not trade with these people.

Some lame statement you bring up to justtify your rubbish again, Plonker