Cypriot national Edmee Pistis Leventis has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the New Year Honours list for services to Arts Philanthropy.

Mrs Leventis, born in Paphos in 1945, is a full time voluntary worker, in addition to being the former Chairwoman – and present member – of the Board of governors of Hellenic College.

She is also the former Chairwoman of the executive Board of Hellenic Trust and both Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Cyprus to UNESCO.

Educated at the Pancyprian University in Nicosia and the University of Rome La Sapienza, Leventis, the widow of the late Constantine Leventis, has three children.

Mrs Leventis has been a long term supporter of WFTGA through the A.G. Leventis Foundation and contributed to the re-writing of the WFTGA training materials