“Human progress has never been built by discovery alone, it is built by the courage, vision, and the refusal to accept limits,” Chief Scientist, Demetris Skourides said, after the G100 Greece Diplomatic Meetings in Athens, where the focus was on women’s leadership and international cooperation.
The event brough together ambassadors, government officials, academics, international advisors and civil society representatives, as part of a wider strategy to strengthen nationwide cooperation and promote inclusive leadership, through a high-level diplomatic meeting.
“Human progress has never been built by discovery alone; it is built by the courage, vision, and the refusal to accept limits,” Skourides added.
The G100 is a global platform of women leaders from different sectors, with a mission to promote inclusive leadership, gender equality and international cooperation through strategic initiatives.
As Skourides noted, “no society can claim readiness for tomorrow if it leaves half its talent on the sidelines,” emphasising the shared responsibility in shaping inclusive societies. Highlighting the role of G100, he described it as “a vital global initiative,” adding that “we are actively developing the next generation of G100 leaders across both the public and private sectors to ensure that leadership is not the exception, but the expectation.”
Referring to the broader European context, Skourides underlined that “discussions in Athens mirrored the core objectives of the European Gender Equality Strategy and the steadfast commitment of President Nicos Christodoulides to implement policies that close the gender gap,” noting that “in Cyprus, we are treating inclusion as a high-performance strategy.”
He pointed to key initiatives such as the “Minds in Cyprus” National Call, which aims to engage accomplished women from the diaspora, while also stressing the need for “economic realism,” observing that despite female-founded startups raising a record $73.6 billion in 2025, “the remaining funding gap is a global inefficiency that we must solve.”
He further emphasised the importance of “inclusive co-architecture,” ensuring women play leading roles in shaping priorities from artificial intelligence to digital transformation.
On leadership, Skourides stressed that “it is not only about position, but about the responsibility to create pathways for others to rise,” while also recognising the importance of allyship, noting that “allyship is practical, deliberate, and consistent.” He added that “we must advocate for brilliant women in rooms where they are not yet present and sponsor talent early, before it becomes visible. That is true leadership.”
The event concluded with a forward-looking message, with Skourides encouraging women professionals to step up and lead fearlessly, underscoring that “the future belongs to all of us.”
