A new award, the Oxygen for Democracy Award, has been introduced to posthumously honor individuals—both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots—who have made notable contributions to the promotion of peace and democracy in Cyprus. The Cyprus Forum announced this initiative on Wednesday, reflecting its dedication to recognizing and preserving the legacies of those who devoted their lives to these causes.

Among the nominees are Lellos Demetriades, former Mayor of Nicosia, who worked with Mustafa Akinci on a series of informal agreements to improve the city’s sewerage system, and Lena Melanidou, co-founder and conductor of the Choir for Peace in Cyprus, which has united Greek and Turkish Cypriots since 1997 to promote reconciliation. Other nominees include Stella Soulioti, a key political figure and the first woman to join the Greek Cypriot negotiation team during bi-communal talks, and Xenofon Kallis, who led the missing persons service at the foreign ministry, working to uncover the fates of those missing during the conflicts from 1955-59, 1963-64, and 1974.

On the Turkish Cypriot side, nominees include Özker Özgür, an educator and influential political leader committed to peace and a federal solution in Cyprus, and Tuncer Bağışkan, a researcher and archaeologist who contributed to the discovery of remains from the Cypriot conflicts through his work with the Committee on Missing Persons. Additionally, Turkan Aziz, the first Turkish Cypriot head nurse at Nicosia General Hospital, and Vedia Barut, a businesswoman and newspaper trader who helped maintain communication between the two communities even when border gates were closed, have also been nominated.

The winners of this award will be announced at the Cyprus Forum’s Networking Event on October 3rd, taking place at 19:30 in the Nicosia Old Town Hall Garden. The public is invited to vote for one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot, with voting open until September 30th. The Cyprus News Agency is a media sponsor for the event.