Frances Lanitou
Frances-Galatia Lanitou Williams | |
|---|---|
Lanitou in 2024 | |
| Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the People’s Republic of China | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2024 | |
| President | Nikos Christodoulides |
| Preceded by | Martha Mavrommati |
| Personal details | |
| Alma mater | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Columbia University University of Geneva University of Cambridge HEC Paris |
Frances-Galatia Lanitou Williams is a Cypriot diplomat. She has served as Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to countries including Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Hungary, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Moldova and the Netherlands. She has also served as a Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and as the Ambassador of Development and Cooperation during the Cypriot Presidency of the European Union Council.
Education
Lanitou studied a Bachelors degree in Philology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece; a Masters in English from Columbia University in New York, United States of America; a LLM in International Humanitarian Law from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, a MSt in International Relations from the Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and an MBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris in France.[1]
Career
Lanitou joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus (MFA) in 1991. She was a member of the Cyprus Delegation to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) Helsinki Follow-Up Meeting and Summit in 1992.[1]
Lanitou served as Representative of Cyprus to the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from 1993 to 2004.[1]
Lanitou served as Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Hungary with parallel accreditations to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova from 2006 to 2010.[1]
Lanitou served as the Ambassador of Development and Cooperation during the Cypriot Presidency of the European Union Council from 2010 to 2013.[1]
Lanitou served as Ambassador of the MFA Economic Diplomacy Project for Strategy Development and Capability Building from 2016 to 2020.[1]
Lanitou served as Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Netherlands with parallel accreditations to Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from 2020 to 2024.[1] As ambassador, she met with religious leaders including the Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, Yves Peckstadt,[2] and received a delegation from Gender Concerns International to the Cypriot Embassy in The Hauge.[3] In 2023, she was invited to attend the Annual High Tea Honouring Women of Influence at the Des Indes hotel in The Hague.[4]
As of 2025, Lanitou serves as Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the People’s Republic of China,[5] presenting her credentials to President Xi Jinping on 12 December 2024.[6] As ambassador, she has visited the Chinese Center for Globalization (CCG)[7] and the China Classification Society (CSS),[8] as well as attending events for the 2025 Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Week.[9] She has met with politicians of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee[10] and has participated in diplomacy on maritime cooperation.[11][12][13]
Lanitou has supported the International Gender Champions pledges against gender-based violence and for gender parity.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Ambassador of Cyprus, H.E. Ms Frances Lanitou". Diplomat magazine. 15 September 2020. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "Metropolitan of Belgium met the Ambassador of Cyprus in The Hague | Orthodox Times (en)". Orthodox Times. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "Inspiring meeting with H.E. Williams Lanitou, the outgoing Ambassador of Cyprus to the Netherlands". Gender Concerns International. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "Annual High Tea Honoring Women of Influence". Diplomat magazine. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ Baker, Drew (8 January 2025). "Visit From HE Frances-Galatia Lanitou Williams | UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage - MNEMOSYNE". Archived from the original on 15 May 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "The Ambassador of Cyprus to China presents her credentials". www.gov.cy. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "塞浦路斯驻华大使到访CCG". www.ccg.org.cn. Archived from the original on 25 May 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "The Ambassador of Cyprus to China Ms. Frances Lanitou and Her Delegation Visited China Classification Society (CCS)". www.ccs.org.cn. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ 樊佳妮. "2025 Intangible Cultural Heritage Week opens in Beijing". workinchina.chinadaily.com.cn. Archived from the original on 7 February 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "Ma Hui Meets with Frances Lanitou, Newly-appointed Ambassador of Cyprus to China". www.idcpc.gov.cn. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ Psara, Souzana (26 April 2024). "Cyprus-China maritime cooperation takes centre stage in Guangzhou". Cyprus Mail. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "Deputy Minister of Shipping visits China for ship naming ceremony and contacts". Cyprus Business News. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ Nicolaou, Kyriacos (29 April 2024). "Shipping minister wraps up successful visit to China". Cyprus Mail. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "Frances Galatia Lanitou Williams". International Gender Champions. Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.