Speaker

Ralli Papageorgiou, 24/1/1975, born in Nea Vyssa, a village in the northeastern part of Evros river at the borders of Greece and Turkey. I studied journalism at IEK Akmi (private college) in Athens and journalism (again) at Frederick university in Nicosia, Cyprus. I studied turkish language at TÖMER, (Ankara University language institution–acronym for Türkçe Öğretim Merkezi. Note: my degree in Turkish is from Istanbul University because it has more value and recognised world wide). I came in Cyprus in 1996. Worked in Astra radio, radio Proto and then went to Istanbul to learn turkish working at the same time as a correspondent of Dias group (radio Proto, Simerini newspaper, Sigma tv) in Turkey for almost 2 years (2005-2006). I worked for Sigma tv at 2007 and since March 2008 I work at Cyprus News Agency, focusing on news from t/c community and Turkey. For the last 9 years I work also for CYBC through an agreement between the two institutions (CNA and CYBC) for the t/c community, following also the negotiations for the resumption of the talks for the solution of the Cyprus problem, all the bicommunal activities and relative news. I follow Cyprus issue and talks since 1999 (in Istanbul, OSCE summit, Klerides, Rauf Denktas Simitis, Kofi Annan). In Mont Pelerin 1, Mont Pelerin 2 and Geneva Conference I was delegated to follow up especially Turkish Cypriot side. That was the first time that a Greek Cypriot media – noted that it is the official agency of Cyprus Republic – covered extensively the T/c side on the negotiation process. It happens to be the first journalist on g/c media who covered the developments on Cyprus talks for the t/c side. It was and still is a break through. I speak greek, english and turkish. I am married with one child.