The 32 members of the new bicommunal technical committee on youth were officially named on Wednesday by President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.

The leaders named 16 people each to chair the committee, with the United Nations saying it “encourages the committee to promote dialogue, foster engagement, and support initiatives which reflect the shared aspirations, needs, and challenges of young people across the island”.

The committee’s Turkish Cypriot co-chairman is Vehbi Zeki Serter, the grandson of the eponymous Turkish Cypriot politician who served as the north’s ‘parliament speaker’ twice in the 1990s and 2000s. He has a master’s degree in international relations from Istanbul’s Bogazici University.

Its Greek Cypriot co-chairwoman is Amalia Avraam, the chairwoman of non-governmental organisation “Cyprus Youth Diplomacy” and the holder of a master of laws from City St George’s, University of London.

The other Turkish Cypriot members are Bengisu Arar, Elis Sonmez, Lal Sargun, Zehra Beyar, Asli Ozgen, Cansu Ozcezarli, Gizem Aytac, Guzide Sofi, Husrev Tancer, Senkal Bayramoglu, Ibrahim Beycanli, Erden Pekri, Huseyin Aran, Mert Nihat Ecevit, and Hilmi Birinci.

The other Greek Cypriot members are Christos Parmakkis, Antonis Tampouras, Aria Askoti, Zena Papachristoforou, Ivi Theocharous, Constantinos Loizou, Maria Diplarou, Christina Dymioti, Maria Rosaria Philippou, Rosalie Gorgorian, Victor Ieronymides, Glafkos Dragoumis, Stamatis Papavasiliou, and Christos Katsioloudis.

The creation of the new technical committee was announced by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the end of the enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem which took place in Geneva in March.

Guterres had at the time aid there was “meaningful progress” achieved in Geneva, and that the talks had been conducted in a “new atmosphere” with a “sense of urgency” demonstrated by all sides.