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Effie Athanassiou

@effie.athanassiou

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Globally Awarded Founder. Creative Leader. Woman in Tech. ARIA winner. CEO @cyprusays Group Creative Director @plus_also_studios
💞@costas.athanassiou

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“We don’t want people to feel shame speaking.”

@effie.athanassiou, founder and CEO of @cyprusays, wants people to feel proud of the way their families speak and to embrace Cypriot Greek as part of their identity.

📺 Watch the full conversation on The Future Media YouTube channel.

#cypriotgreek #cyprus by @effie.athanassiou

What happens when you’re taught that the language you speak at home is wrong?

After years of being told there was no way to learn Cypriot Greek unless you lived in Cyprus, @effie.athanassiou decided to change that.

She created @cyprusays, the first app dedicated to teaching modern Cypriot Greek, helping people reconnect with their language, culture and heritage.

In this episode of Women Building Cyprus, host @annetta.benzar speaks with Effie about growing up in the Cypriot diaspora, preserving a language often dismissed as «just a dialect,» and why no one should feel ashamed of the way their family speaks.

📖 Read on thefuturemedia.eu
🎥 Watch on The Future Media YouTube channel

#CyprusSays #CypriotGreek #Cyprus #Podcast #Culture by @effie.athanassiou

ADVOCATING CYPRUS | Effie Athanassiou 'Cyprusays' | CYDIA Awards 2026
Awarded to individuals whose work promotes Cyprus, encouraging tourism and showcasing its culture, creativity, hospitality, and opportunities on the international stage.
The award was presented to Effie Athanassiou by Marios Tannousis, CEO, Invest Cyprus.

The Cyprus Diaspora Forum® is the leading platform connecting Cypriots of the diaspora, the local community, and friends of Cyprus — creating meaningful connections, inspiring collaboration, and supporting the vision of a stronger, more innovative Cyprus with greater opportunities for the next generation.
Now in its third year, the CYDIA Awards® have established a new benchmark for diaspora engagement and business excellence, celebrating the people, ideas, and achievements that are helping shape the future of Cyprus while creating pathways and opportunities for generations to come.
Celebrating Global Excellence from the Cypriot Diaspora.
Main Sponsor: Research and Innovation Foundation
Powered by: Alpha Bank Cyprus
@cyprus_diaspora_forum @effie.athanassiou @costas.athanassiou @cyprusays @investcyprus_official by @effie.athanassiou

A very special moment for Effie and Cyprusays® at the 2026 CYDIA Awards in Limassol, Cyprus 🇨🇾

Thank you to everyone who voted, supported and believed in the mission behind Cyprusays®.

Winning the Advocating Cyprus award means so much because this has always been about more than an app. It’s about preserving Cypriot Greek, honouring where we come from and helping the next generation stay connected, wherever they are in the world.

With love and gratitude,
Effie + Costas

@cyprus_diaspora_forum by @effie.athanassiou

Congratulations to the Australian Cypriot diaspora winners recognised at the CYDIA Awards last month 🇦🇺🇨🇾

A beautiful moment celebrating the work, pride and connection of Cypriots across Australia, including our own Effie from Cyprusays®.

Thank you to Her Excellency Ms Emily Pugin, High Commissioner of Australia to Cyprus, for her support, and to @paullambis and @filli_k for bringing this incredible event to life through @cyprus_diaspora_forum.

A proud night for the Australian Cypriot community.

@paullambis
@_chrischristofi
@mariakapardis
@filli_k by @effie.athanassiou

An unforgettable evening at the 2026 CYDIA Awards Gala Dinner at the @parklanecyprus

A night celebrating Cypriot excellence, performance and the global diaspora.

📷 @cyprus_diaspora_forum by @effie.athanassiou

Honored to take part in the 'Hospitality & Tourism in Cyprus: Smart, Sustainable & Authenic' panel at the CYDIA forum in Limassol 🇨🇾

It was a privilege to share the stage with His Excellency, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, and contribute to an important conversation around the future of tourism in Cyprus.

For Cyprusays, language sits at the heart of culture. The way people speak, the phrases they use, the warmth in everyday Cypriot expressions - these are all part of what makes Cyprus feel like Cyprus.

As the island continues to welcome visitors, new residents and global attention, we believe there is a real opportunity to celebrate Cypriot culture in a way that is modern, thoughtful and authentic.

Thank you to CYDIA for the invitation and for creating space for these conversations.

Thank you also to the other panelists and moderator Pavlos Christou, Editor in Chief at @fastforwardcy

📷 @cyprus_diaspora_forum
@cypruscomiccon
@grizzlydroneshows
@bbf.world by @effie.athanassiou

Download now. Available worldwide. by @effie.athanassiou

We’ve had the chance to share the Cyprusays® story on a few brilliant podcasts recently while in Cyprus 🇨🇾

A big thank you to Costa Constanti who hosts the Terra Nullius Cyprus Podcast and Annetta Benzar Editor in Chief at Forbes Cyprus. Thank you for giving us the space to speak about language, identity, culture, diaspora and why Cyprusays® exists.

You can listen to our Terra Nullius episode now via islandtalks.fm, with our podcast episode of 'Future Makers: Women Building Cyprus' for Forbes Cyprus coming soon.

Stay tuned 🎧

@annetta.benzar
@forbes_cyprus
@costa_constanti
@islandtalkscy by @effie.athanassiou

A few moments from an unforgettable few days at the CYDIA Forum in Limassol 🇨🇾

Thank you to the CYDIA team for bringing together such an inspiring group of people across business, culture, innovation and the diaspora.

It was a amazing to be in the room for so many conversations about Cyprus, its people and what’s being built on the island and beyond.

For us, Cyprusays® has always been about connection. Being back in Cyprus, sharing our story and meeting so many people who understood the mission reminded us why we started.

Inspired by the brilliant people doing meaningful work for Cyprus, the diaspora and the next generation.

More to come from our time at the forum.

📷 @cyprus_diaspora_forum by @effie.athanassiou

CYDIA Awards® 2026 | Advocating Cyprus | Effie Athanassiou
Awarded to individuals whose work promotes Cyprus, encouraging tourism and showcasing its culture, creativity, hospitality, and opportunities on the international stage.
@effie.athanassiou @cyprus_diaspora_forum @cyprusays by @effie.athanassiou

We created the app we couldn't find.

Cyprusays is the first app built to help you understand, read and speak Cypriot Greek with real phrases, native audio and a built-in reading and pronunciation guide.

Start with the free version or unlock full access with Cyprusays Pro.

#Cyprusays #CypriotGreek #LearnCypriotGreek #LanguageApp #CyprusCulture by @effie.athanassiou