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PwC Foundation Expands Its Social Impact Across Cyprus With Focus On Education, Entrepreneurship And Community Support

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 22, 2026

The PwC Foundation broadened its contribution to education, entrepreneurship and community support during the 2026 financial year, with PwC Cyprus advancing a series of initiatives designed to create measurable social impact across the island.

Guided by PwC’s broader purpose of building trust in society and addressing long-term challenges, the foundation concentrated its efforts on three strategic pillars: education and culture, youth entrepreneurship, and community support through its Offering Our Hearts & Minds programme.

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Education And Skills Remain A Core Priority

Education remained one of the foundation’s main areas of focus throughout FY26.

Fourteen scholarships were awarded to high-performing students at the University of Cyprus and the Cyprus University of Technology, with both academic achievement and financial need taken into account. PwC Cyprus also continued to support initiatives, including Girls in STEAM and TechWeCan, helping students develop science, technology, and digital skills.

Financial literacy formed another key part of the programme. During Global Money Week, PwC volunteers visited 10 public schools, delivering financial education sessions to 28 classrooms and nearly 300 primary, secondary and lyceum students.

Additional initiatives included a partnership with the Cyprus Institute of Marketing, the Beyond the Workforce of Today programme and continued support for the Pharos Arts Foundation.

Backing The Next Generation Of Entrepreneurs

Youth entrepreneurship remained another major focus, with the PwC Foundation continuing its strategic partnerships with Junior Achievement Cyprus, the University of Cyprus and Cyprus Seeds.

Students gained hands-on business experience through the Company Programme, while the Our Community initiative introduced younger participants to civic engagement and community projects.

Among the year’s highlights, HerShield from St Mary’s School in Limassol represented Cyprus at the JA Europe competition in Riga, finishing third in the JA Europe Company of the Year 2026 category among teams from more than 40 countries.

Support also included the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) at the University of Cyprus and the launch of the University of Cyprus C4E Summer Academy. PwC Cyprus is also set to launch the Scale Up 3 programme in September 2026 to support emerging startups.

Community Support Continues To Extend The Foundation’s Reach

Community engagement remained an important part of the foundation’s activities.

Employees participated in blood donation campaigns and supported the Movember movement, while more than 350 volunteers took part in 13 Volunteer Days activities across Cyprus. PwC also continued providing pro bono services and financial support to non-profit organisations.

Leadership Frames Impact As A Long-Term Commitment

PwC Cyprus Chief Executive Andreas Yiasemides said the foundation’s work reflects the company’s long-term commitment to supporting education, entrepreneurship and local communities.

“At PwC, we believe that meaningful change is achieved through collective action, long-term commitment and active participation,” Yiasemides said, adding that the company will continue investing in initiatives that create opportunities for people to thrive and deliver lasting value for future generations.

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Cyprus Expects More French Visitors In 2027 As Air Capacity Expands

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 18, 2026

Cyprus expects more French visitors in 2027 as airlines increase capacity between the two countries, Tourism Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis said after meetings with tour operators in Paris.

France, one of Cyprus’ key tourism markets, has had a difficult 2026. French arrivals fell 46% year over year to 8,453 in August, from 15,663 a year earlier, according to the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat). August arrivals were also nearly 50% below the 16,798 recorded in the same month of 2024.

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Overall, Cyprus received 2.82 million tourist arrivals between January and August, down 7% from the same period in 2025.

Air Connectivity Supports 2027 Outlook

Koumis discussed the 2027 outlook with senior executives from tour operators offering Cyprus holidays during the IFTM Top Resa travel trade fair in Paris.

Higher air capacity between France and Cyprus was a key focus of the talks. Participants also discussed the impact of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on the French market and Cyprus’ efforts to adapt its tourism offering to French travelers.

“The French market is undoubtedly an extremely important market for our country’s tourism,” Koumis said, adding that France had regained importance only a few years ago and still had room to grow.

Improved air connectivity will be an important factor in that expansion, according to Koumis. “It is now clear that air connectivity between France and Cyprus is improving significantly, which is a basic prerequisite for the further growth of the market,” he said.

Cyprus Promotes Tourism And Regional Cooperation

Koumis attended the opening of IFTM Top Resa at the invitation of French Tourism Minister Serge Papin, who later visited the Cyprus stand. Held from Sept. 15 to 17 at Paris Porte de Versailles, the event brought together more than 32,000 tourism professionals representing 177 destinations and 1,650 brands, according to organizers.

During his visit, Koumis also met Egyptian Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy. Cyprus and Egypt reaffirmed their tourism cooperation and discussed opportunities to strengthen ties further.

French media interviews covered Cyprus’ tourism offering, infrastructure and services, along with efforts to develop specialized tourism products. Regional instability weighed on arrivals in 2026, particularly during the spring, although the decline narrowed over the summer.