Stella Soulioti

Stella Soulioti (Greek: Στέλλα Σουλιώτη) (13 February 1920 – 1 November 2012) was a Cypriot attorney and politician.

Early life and education Soulioti was born in Limassol, the daughter of lawyer Panayiotis Cacoyannnis. She was the sister of film director Michael Cacoyannis. Soulioti was the first Cypriot woman to join the RAF during World War II, retiring with the rank of Flight lieutenant. She received her education in Cyprus and in Egypt before being called to the bar as a member of Gray's Inn in 1950.

Career Soulioti returned to Cyprus, practicing law in her birth city from 1952 until 1960.

In 1961, Soulioti took the helm of the Red Cross in Cyprus, leading the organization until 2004; at the time of the Turkish invasion of 1974, she was responsible for coordinating thousands of volunteers, which gained her international recognition. She was a follower of Archbishop Makarios, with whom she worked closely,

Personal life In 1949, Soulioti married Demetrios Souliotis. She had a daughter, Alexia. She died on November 1, 2012, aged 92, in Limassol. She is buried at Agios Nikolaos cemetery in Limassol.

Publications

Soulioti, Stella (1998). Brief history of intercommunal negotiations since 1974: Interim Report of the Committee on Turkish Affairs, 1949. Nicosia. Soulioti, Stella (2006). Fettered independence: Cyprus, 1878-1964. Minneapolis, Minn.: Modern Greek Studies, University of Minnesota.