November 19, 2024
2 minutes reading time
Setting sail around the island for the first time in 50 years points to a sustainable future for Cyprus
Winds of Change, the visionary project by IOC Young Leader and Olympian Dr. Sophia Papamichalopoulos, has been honoured with the prestigious World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award. Launched two years ago but envisioned for much longer, Winds of Change helps end division in Cyprus and show how sport can bring people together.
A crew drawn from both communities trained together and lived together in preparation for their historic journey, helping to build trust and break down boundaries. When they reached their destination, Winds of Change became the first boat to sail around Cyprus in 50 years.
Winds of Change stands for fostering dialogue, understanding, and collaboration among youth, empowering them to challenge prejudices and strive for ambitious shared goals. Their story has been turned into a documentary, directed and produced by Alistair Meharg, and featuring Sophia and her brother Christopher, which premiered at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and enjoyed a special showing at the 2024 World Sailing Annual Conference as part of the Women’s Forum.
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Speaking at the World Sailing Awards, Sophia said, “I feel incredibly grateful. This is a huge honour for us, to get this recognition on the global World Sailing stage. The project that we created has been a vision in my head for so many years but only launched two years ago. What we have managed to achieve so far has been incredible. It has been a team effort, so I am really grateful to everyone who was part of this journey.
“For a dream like this you really need people you can trust and 100% rely on. Believe in you even when you doubt yourself. It was amazing to have my brother here with me tonight. We have been a team since we were young and training and competing together. It is a special experience to share this with him.”
The initiative has directly impacted nearly 2,000 young people and reached 80,000 others indirectly and was recognised with the “Peace Award” by the Youth Board of Cyprus in 2024.
Winds of Change’s headline achievements include completing the first circumnavigation of Cyprus in 50 years, inspiring youth-led sports-for-peace activities, hosting the inaugural “Olympism for Peace” event in Cyprus, and being referenced in the UN Secretary General’s report on Cyprus, and now the 2024 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award.
Lorraine McKenna, Sponsorship Director at 11th Hour Racing, said, “Winds of Change shows how sport can unite people and create real impact. Their work highlights the power of breaking down barriers to build a better future, and we’re proud to support their growth with an award that will further develop their programs.”
In 2018, World Sailing and 11th Hour Racing joined forces to create the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award. This award honours projects that deliver high-impact, replicable solutions aligned with the ambitious goals of the World Sailing Sustainability Agenda 2030. Over the years, the award has celebrated innovation and leadership by granting a total of $70,000 to seven exceptional winners, fuelling their efforts to create a more sustainable future for sailing and beyond.
Read more about Winds of Change here.