50 girls from 12 countries spent a week in Limassol working on real-world challenges posed by major organizations such as Hermes Airports, the Cyprus National Paralympic Committee (CNPC), CSR Cyprus, and others. This was not a school project. In addition to tackling these corporate challenges, they also participated in inspiring motivational talks and hands-on workshops led by top experts and industry leaders.

When Hermes Airports Ltd. entrusted one of its key business challenges to a group of teenage girls, it wasn’t a public relations stunt. It was a calculated gamble—that the next generation of consumers understands problems that are sometimes overlooked in boardrooms.

This week, the Kateryna Biloruska Foundation (KBF) concluded the FEM (Future Empowered Minds) Leadership Camp 2026, a five-day leadership program in Limassol, where 50 girls aged 13–17 from 12 countries tackled real-world business challenges presented by some of Cyprus’s most renowned organizations.  Without the support of the technology company VARTEQ, this program simply would not have been possible. The challenges were not simplified for the participants.

• Hermes Airports asked the girls to redesign the passenger experience at Larnaca and Paphos airports to reduce stress and increase loyalty among all types of travelers.

• The Cyprus National Paralympic Committee asked them to create campaigns that would raise public awareness of para-sports.

• CSR Cyprus asked the participants to develop an engagement strategy aimed at strengthening the participation of CSR Cyprus members, increase their impact through joint initiatives, and bring more CSR professionals together, while taking sustainability and environmental footprint into account.

 • Umami Sushi & Pan Asian wanted to learn how to become Gen Z’s go-to dining choice in a competitive market.

• Soloveyko Book Store & Lounge asked the question that many cultural institutions are afraid to ask: why would a teenager ever step foot in a bookstore?

Each partner presented a real-world case study. The girls—who had already completed an online leadership program before arriving in Cyprus—worked in teams throughout the week and presented their solutions at a gala evening on June 22.

Why companies in Cyprus said yes.

Generation Z is no longer just a future consumer segment. In Cyprus, people under the age of 25 already account for a significant share of purchasing decisions regarding food, travel, and digital services. According to McKinsey’s 2024 report on Generation Z’s spending behavior, this group influences approximately 40% of household purchasing decisions—and they switch brands more quickly than any previous generation.

For Hermes Airports, which handles over 10 million passengers annually at its two airports, understanding how younger travelers experience the airport is a business issue, not a social one. “Working with the younger generation has helped us see our airports through a completely different lens. Their perspective on the passenger experience gives us the opportunity to explore new ideas for our airports.” — Natasha Iakovidis, Director of Human Resources & Executive Coach, Hermes Airports Ltd.

For CNPC, the parameters were different. Para-sports remain underrepresented in the public consciousness despite Cyprus’s history at the Paralympic Games. The organization wanted ideas that could truly change that. “Sports for people with disabilities need new voices to tell its story, not just the same channels repeating the same message. When fifty young women from twelve countries come together for a week to think about how to make sports for people with disabilities more visible, they bring fresh ideas, perspectives, and energy that traditional campaigns often lack. This is exactly the kind of momentum that can change the way communities view and value inclusion in sports.” — Marianna Hatziantoniou, General Secretary, Cyprus National Paralympic Committee.

What happened in the conference room.

The program brought together participants from Cyprus, Ukraine, and ten other countries. This shaped the way the teams thought about the challenges. A girl who grew up in Limassol or Paphos and a girl who grew up in Kyiv or Montenegro do not share the same points of reference for what makes a restaurant worth visiting or feel safe at an airport. This gap turned out to be an advantage. Kateryna Biloruska, founder of KBF, said the program was specifically designed to avoid simulations. “We didn’t want the girls to practice leadership in a vacuum. Real companies presented real problems. In this case, there is no single correct answer. This is exactly the kind of environment where leadership truly develops.” — Kateryna Biloruska, Founder, Kateryna Biloruska Foundation The FEM Camp program is part of KBF’s Future Empowered Minds (FEM) program, which has worked with over 700 girls since its inception, with 165 graduates. The foundation focuses on empowering young people through sports, education, and leadership.

Key statistics:

• 72% of Gen Z says they prefer to buy from brands that give them a role in shaping the product or service (Edelman Trust Barometer, 2024)

• 68% of young people in Europe report feeling disconnected from traditional cultural institutions, including bookstores and political organizations (European Youth Forum, 2023)

• 1 in 3 Gen Z travelers says that their airport experience influences their perception of their destination country (Airports Council International, 2024)

• KBF reaches over 350 children each month through its sports and educational programs in Cyprus.

About the FEM Leadership Camp

The FEM Leadership Camp is organized annually by the Kateryna Biloruska Foundation. The second edition of 2026 took place June 17–22 in Limassol, Cyprus, and brought together 50 participants from 12 countries. The competition’s partners and contributors include: CSR Cyprus, Hermes Airports Ltd, the Cyprus National Paralympic Committee (CNPC), Umami Sushi & Pan Asian, and Soloveyko Book Store & Lounge.

About the Kateryna Biloruska Foundation

The KBF is an international charitable organization based in Cyprus that focuses on empowering children and youth through sports, education, and leadership. The foundation works with over 350 children each month in sports teams, partners with organizations in more than five countries, and runs programs such as FEM, “Together through Football” with the UEFA Foundation, and the “Yes I Can” program with Paralympians.