Co-founder of Accept – LGBTI Cyprus Costas Gavrielides passes away
Co-founder of Accept – LGBTI Cyprus, Costas Gavrielides, passed away on Sunday at the age of 48.
Gavrielides was co-founder of Accept Cyprus, the first official LGBTI registered organization in the Republic of Cyprus in 2009 and the first elected President (2012–2017) and member of the Board of Directors (2018, 2022-2024). Among others, he was a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Expert, and former Adviser to the President of Cyprus for Multiculturalism & Diversity.
President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, expressed in a written statement his sorrow over the loss of Costas Gavrielides, noting that “through his public presence and action, he substantially contributed to the dialogue on human rights, respect for diversity and social inclusion in the Republic of Cyprus”.
The President added that his “path and contribution were characterized by consistency, courage and commitment to principles that strengthened the democratic quality of our society and contributed to strengthening a culture of acceptance and mutual respect”.
Finally, the President expressed his sincere condolences to the family, relatives and associates of the deceased.
Moreover, other politicians, political parties and organisations expressed their sadness over his sudden death in press releases and posts on social media.
President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou, wrote in ‘X’ that Gavrielides was “a wonderful person” who “fought for human rights”.
“His imprint and contribution will remain indelible in our collective memory. I express my heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones,” she noted.
Accept – LGBTI Cyprus said on social media accounts that “today the LGBTI community lost a charismatic fighter” which expressed the organisation’s positions fearlessly and referred to his contribution in changing legislation in Cyprus to defend the rights of the LGBTI community.
Gavrielides funeral will take place on Tuesday in Nicosia.
