Nicosia, 4 July 2025 – 

The graduation ceremony for 17 students of the EU Scholarship Programme for Cypriot Youth at the United World Colleges (UWC) took place in Nicosia. The event was funded by the European Union and was attended by ambassadors of EU Member States, officials from the European Commission, representatives from the offices of the negotiators of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, representatives from the UN, members of the Technical Committees on Education and Youth, graduating scholars, current students, programme alumni and families.

The ceremony highlighted the achievements of scholars who completed the two-year International Baccalaureate programme at various UWC schools across Europe. The gathering underscored ongoing efforts to foster peace, dialogue, and understanding among Cypriot youth from different communities.

Giulia Bertezzolo, Head of Cooperation at the Cyprus Settlement Support Unit, addressed the graduates, highlighting the importance of their educational experiences and their future roles as community leaders.“Europe and the world need more leaders driven by purpose and compassion. Your experience of studying alongside peers from diverse backgrounds has shown you the power of finding common ground and building bridges. You have seen that together you can overcome differences and work to heal mistrust.”

In his powerful address, Faith Abiodun, Executive Director of UWC International, said “Somewhere tonight, perhaps even as we gather here, a young Cypriot is attempting to balance the weight of inherited history against a fragile but extraordinary hope that the future can be different. This ceremony, this gathering of families, communities and friends, is itself living proof that many of you have already made that choice. You have chosen hope. You have chosen dialogue. You have chosen peace.”

Graduates Nehir, Dimitra, and Seray shared their personal reflections on their experiences, discussing how the scholarship impacted their personal and academic growth.

Referring to her experience in the post-war town of Mostar, Dimitra said, “Mostar is also divided into two sides, the Croat and the Bosniak, separated by an imaginary border that still lives in the minds of its citizens. In that way, it reminded me so much of Nicosia, where the border is real, guarded by a checkpoint and a buffer zone. Having that question always in mind: if they can, to a certain extent, learn to live together again, then why can't we?”

Nehir reflected on her experience with fellow Cypriot youth: “Because of UWC Cyprus, I got to meet people from both communities — Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots — not as strangers, but as friends. Collaborators. Co-years. We didn’t grow up together, but now we’ve made films, laughed until we cried, and shared late-night conversations about this island that connects us more than it divides us.”

Seray remarks on the programme “The EU scholarship programme at UWC has been one of the most impactful and successful peace-building efforts on this island, so we can really say that education is the most powerful tool we can use to change the world.”

Established in 2019, the EU Scholarship Programme for Cypriot Youth at UWC has awarded a total of 82 scholarships to students, providing opportunities to attend the International Baccalaureate programme at one of five UWC schools (UWC Adriatic, UWC Maastricht, UWC Mostar, UWC Red Cross Nordic, and UWC Robert Bosch College).

In addition to scholarships, the programme promotes youth leadership and intercommunal dialogue through UWC short courses and UWC Experience workshops held across Cyprus. These initiatives aim to enhance understanding and collaboration among young Cypriots.

The EU Scholarship Programme for Cypriot Youth at UWC is funded by the EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community and serves as a confidence-building measure between communities of Cyprus.