Harris Kyriakides Memorial Event
Harris Kyriakides organised a memorial day at the Larnaca Municipal Theatre on Monday, 13 May 2024, paying tribute and gratitude to its founder.
Harris Kyriakides was born and raised in Larnaca. After obtaining a law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, he became a member of the Cyprus Bar Association and founded Harris Kyriakides in 1976. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Harris Kyriakides was an exemplary professional and a visionary, with deep knowledge and a passion for law and the legal profession. Combining his legal and strategic thinking with an in-depth understanding of the market, industries, organisations and individuals he advised and represented, he charted a clear path to success for himself, the firm and its own clients by demonstrating unparalleled integrity, honesty and professionalism. His constant commitment to long-lasting and stable relationships with clients, his remarkable work ethic and his tireless determination to continuously strive for excellence and progress in every aspect of his life were key to his personal and to the collective success of Harris Kyriakides, which has evolved into a model law firm with international standards, guided by the core principles upheld by its founder.
During the event, the establishment of the Harris Kyriakides Foundation in memory of Harris Kyriakides was announced, aiming to continue his vision and work through a series of annual activities. The mission of the Harris Kyriakides Foundation is to support the next generation of talented young lawyers, helping them develop knowledge and skills, and to contribute to their ongoing professional education, as well as to empower and advance their careers. The first initiative announced by the Harris Kyriakides Foundation is an annual scholarship for a Cypriot student at the University of Oxford. The programme will last from the academic years 2023 to 2027, with the Harris Kyriakides Foundation funding scholarships of £10,000 annually. Eligible candidates will include both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot students enrolled in either the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) or the Magister Juris (MJur) programmes, who have chosen the Civil Procedure course. This is a way for Cyprus to continue building its own legal tradition, which began with the relatively few lawyers who practised law after independence, such as Harris Kyriakides. For the academic year 2023 – 2024, the scholarship was awarded to Cleopatra Khattab, a student in the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) programme at the University of Oxford.
Additionally, the Harris Kyriakides Foundation announced, in collaboration with Harris Kyriakides, the organisation of annual educational programmes and lectures on the fundamental principles of the legal profession’s code of ethics and conduct, aimed at young lawyers. The goal of this initiative is to familiarise young lawyers with ethical and conduct issues, both theoretically and practically, adhering to the highest standards as Harris Kyriakides himself did.
Finally, the beginning of a collaboration between the Harris Kyriakides Foundation and the Municipality of Larnaca was announced, with the aim of supporting various initiatives in the city where Harris Kyriakides founded his firm and family. The first project of the collaboration will be the contribution of the Harris Kyriakides Foundation to the construction of Salina Municipal Park. Spanning an area of 14,000 square meters, a beautiful urban park is being developed in the centre of Larnaca, which is expected to connect with the Municipal Garden, together forming the city’s most significant green area. The Harris Kyriakides Foundation will contribute to the landscaping of the Salina Municipal Park in coordination with the municipal authorities, financially supporting the implementation of the design and the creation of the space, ensuring that it remains clean and available for the city’s needs. The aim of the Harris Kyriakides Foundation is to continue implementing an annual action, always in consultation with the municipal authorities, contributing and assisting in honouring Harris Kyriakides’s desire for continuous progress and prosperity for Larnaca and its people.
For more information about the Harris Kyriakides Foundation and its activities, please visit www.hkfoundation.cy or contact [email protected].
