The “Turkish Cypriot Women Entrepreneurs Reunion” (WERU) event, co-organized by the Turkish Cypriot Women Entrepreneurs Association (GİKAD) and the Association of Foreign Ministry Staff and Spouses (DİMED), brought together Turkish Cypriot women entrepreneurs from around the world and North Cyprus.
Held on Thursday, November 14, in North Cyprus, the event welcomed distinguished participants, including Oya Ertuğruloğlu, wife of the Foreign Minister of TRNC Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, GİKAD President İçim Çağıner Kavuklu, 21 women entrepreneurs from countries such as the UK, Turkey, and Australia, alongside local entrepreneurs from North Cyprus.
Prominent attendees from the UK included Leyla Kemal, Nafiya Horozoğlu, and Dr. Zehra Yılmaz, who shared their personal journeys and professional experiences while exploring opportunities for collaboration.
Leyla Kemal, reflecting on her entrepreneurial journey and contributions to the Turkish Cypriot community in the UK, touching on her history is her professional life and activities within the Turkish Cypriot community in London touching on co-founded the Eltham Turkish School in South London and her time as Chair of the Turkish Cypriot Council UK including the Turkish Cypriot cultural festival.
Nafiya Horozoğlu shared her experiences of growing up as a Turkish Cypriot in the UK and her dedication to addressing identity challenges faced by younger generations: “As someone born and raised in the UK, I have always felt like an outsider, yet my sense of belonging to North Cyprus is indescribable. However, I faced identity struggles—whether identifying as Turkish, Cypriot, British, or a Turkish Cypriot. This inspired me to establish the Turkish Cypriot Youth Association in 2018, creating a family for youth in the UK.
Horozoğlu explained how the organised actives to keep the Turkish Cypriot culture alive aiming to strengthen ties between youth and their heritage as well as her activities to now share now worldwide at diaspora-focused projects such as the Organization of Turkic States.
Dr. Zehra Yılmaz, highlighting her mother Aysın Yılmaz legacy and her own remarkable journey, spoke about her commitment to community service and professional achievements. Born in London to a Turkish Cypriot family, she emphasized her roots and contributions to public health and education.
Dr. Yılmaz earned her PhD in Oral Medicine from Queen Mary University of London and has worked on groundbreaking research at institutions like King’s College London. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as a Senior Clinical Trials Coordinator at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, leading public health studies.