Annual Lectures in memory of Georgios Paraskevaides

In view of the excellent and significant work of the late Georgios Paraskevaides, and in consultation with his family, the University of Cyprus decided in 2011 to establish an annual event in his memory. The series of lectures held in memory of the late Georgios Paraskevaides, with the first being held in 2012, was completed in 2018 after six years of success.

The speakers, distinguished personalities from the fields of architecture, engineering and other similar disciplines, were invited to the headquarters of the University of Cyprus and the texts of their lectures were published in a special issue. The Events Office of the Promotion and Development Section of the Rectorate of the University of Cyprus, in collaboration with the Department of Architecture of the Faculty of Engineering and the Paraskevaides family, was appointed responsible for organising the annual lecture. During the event, a prize was awarded in memory of Georgios Paraskevaides. The Senate of the University of Cyprus unanimously approved the organisation of these annual lectures in memory of Georgios Paraskevaides at Meeting number 30/2011, on 13 December 2011 (subject: 11.3).

The late Georgios Paraskevaides was patriotic, hardworking, insightful, moderate, creative, polymath, philanhtropic, simple and humane. All these are only some of the characteristics that make up the multifaceted personality of "Gogos", as everyone used to call him. He was born in Athens in 1916, when his father, Efthyvoulos Paraskevaides, was studying medicine at the University of Athens and married a young Italian woman, Marietta. He graduated with honours from the Pancyprian Gymnasium. He studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan in Italy and completed his studies with many difficulties due to the beginning of World War II. He returned to Cyprus and realised that he could not work as an architect because of the war. He set up a small contracting company and undertook various military projects that the British were building on the island. During his career, he never declared himself an architect, but "a simple contractor". In 1941 he met the young merchant Stelios Ioannou, with whom he created a construction cooperative and undertook various military projects. In 1946 they registered it as a Limited Liability Company, under the name "Ioannou & Paraskevaides Ltd". Within a few years, they managed to establish J&P as an International Contracting Colossus that promoted Cyprus internationally. In 1959 he married Thelma Leonidou Frangou. They had three children: Efthyvoulos, a civil engineer, Leoni, an architect, and Christina, who studied business administration. Sensitive to human suffering and misery, he and his wife founded the "George and Thelma Paraskevaides" charity foundation with the aim of supporting needy Cypriots in matters of health and studies, as well as preserving the cultural and architectural heritage of the island. The Foundation is affiliated with the "Shriners Hospital" in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, where children under the age of 18 are referred and operated on completely free of charge for serious orthopaedic conditions and cases of severe burns, as well as with the "Children's Heart Fund Hospital" in Minneapolis, USA, where thousands of Cypriot children can receive free medical advice and treatment. At the same time, he founded the "Paraskevaidio Surgical and Transplant Foundation", which has performed more than 1.000 kidney transplants during the 25 years of its operation. He bought and restored the house where he was born in Athens, at 11, Methonis Street and housed there the "Cultural Centre of Cyprus", which he enriched with rich photographic and electronic material, ancient books of great value, historical maps and other material related to Cyprus so that visitors can study and learn about the history of the island. 

Fond of ancient civilisation and Greece, he believed that humanity owes a lot to the ancient and modern Greek civilisation and took every opportunity to emphasise this. He became the best ambassador of the Cyprus problem. He maintained close, friendly relations with American Presidents Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton, with many US Senators and politicians, as well as with representatives of the Greek and Cypriot AHEPA and HANAC expatriates, whom he constantly kept informed about the Turkish invasion and the violation of human rights. He maintained very good relations with officials, Sheikhs, and Leaders of States of the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf, while he mediated, on many occasions, to ensure their positive support regarding the Cyprus problem. He was occasionally offered political offices, which he never accepted. He argued that by employing thousands of Cypriots abroad and campaigning to communicate and promote the Cyprus problem he was contributing much more to the country.

He has been honoured with many distinctions for his numerous social activities, the most important of which are: "The Order of the British Empire" by Queen Elizabeth II of England, "The Order of Oman" by Sultan Qaboos of Oman, the St. Paul medal by Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America, the St. Marcus medal by the Pope, and the Holy Cross of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain by Archbishop Gregorios. He has been proclaimed “Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople”, an Honorary Citizen of Nicosia, "Fellow" of Kings College University, London, “Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix” by the president of the Hellenic Republic, Kostis Stephanopoulos, while he has been awarded the “City of Athens Medal”, the "Golden Apple" by the Mayor of New York, the "Medal of Outstanding Contribution", the highest distinction of the Republic of Cyprus, by President Glafcos Clerides, the "Grande Ufficiale" of the Italian Republic, and the "Great Golden Order of St. Barnabas", the highest distinction of the Church of Cyprus, for his great contribution to the Church and the Homeland.

He passed away in London on 5 December 2007, at the age of 91, in a state of full lucidity. His funeral was held at the Holy Church of Panagia Evangelistria in Nicosia and was celebrated by Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus. The entire political leadership and a large number of people were present.