George Paraskevaides
Encyclopedia
George Paraskevaides was a Cypriot
philanthropist and businessman who focused on the construction
business in Europe
and the Middle East
. Paraskevaides was one of the co-founders of Joannou & Paraskevaides
, an important international construction firm based in Cyprus
, with fellow Cypriot, Stelios Ioannou.
. Together the two partners founded the Joannou & Paraskevaides
company, which is better known as J&P. Their company would eventually grow into a major international construction giant, with dozens of projects throughout Europe
, the Middle East
, Africa
and Asia
.
He was also well known for his philanthropic work. He helped to build an organ transplant
center in eastern Cyprus. He also paid to send children for medical treatment in the United States
.
Paraskevaides received a number of awards and recognitions for his work in both business and philanthropy. He was inducted into the Order of the British Empire
by Queen Elizabeth II. He was also awarded the Saint Marcus Medal from the Vatican
.
on December 5, 2007, at the age of 91.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
philanthropist and businessman who focused on the construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
business in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Paraskevaides was one of the co-founders of Joannou & Paraskevaides
Joannou & Paraskevaides
-North Africa and the Middle East:Joannou & Paraskevaides Limited was established in 1961 in Guernsey, Channel Islands...
, an important international construction firm based in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, with fellow Cypriot, Stelios Ioannou.
Early life
Paraskevaides was born in Athens, Greece, in 1916. His family moved to Cyprus when he was very young. He studied architecture at Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy.Career
Paraskevaides joined forces with Stelios Ioannou following the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Together the two partners founded the Joannou & Paraskevaides
Joannou & Paraskevaides
-North Africa and the Middle East:Joannou & Paraskevaides Limited was established in 1961 in Guernsey, Channel Islands...
company, which is better known as J&P. Their company would eventually grow into a major international construction giant, with dozens of projects throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
He was also well known for his philanthropic work. He helped to build an organ transplant
Organ transplant
Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
center in eastern Cyprus. He also paid to send children for medical treatment in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Paraskevaides received a number of awards and recognitions for his work in both business and philanthropy. He was inducted into the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
by Queen Elizabeth II. He was also awarded the Saint Marcus Medal from the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
Death
George Paraskevaides died at the London Clinic in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on December 5, 2007, at the age of 91.