Paphos:Cyprus is set to host the 2026 European Day for Organ, Tissue and Cell Donation, as announced by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM).

According to Cyprus News Agency, the event, known as European Donation Day (EDD), will take place from October 8 to 10 under the theme 'Sharing lives'. The principal programme of events will be held in Paphos, organized by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus and the Cyprus Transplantation Council, with support from the Karaiskakio Foundation and in collaboration with the EDQM.

Prominent historic buildings in Strasbourg, including the Palais de l'Europe, and in Paphos, will be illuminated in green, the color of EDD, to symbolize solidarity during the event. EDD serves to honor donors and their families, celebrate transplant recipients, and recognize the healthcare professionals involved in the donation and transplantation process.

Petra Doerr, Director of the EDQM, emphasized the importance of donation as an act of solidarity that transcends borders. She noted that it unites individuals, communities, healthcare professionals, and institutions with the shared goal of saving lives and restoring health.

The EDQM highlighted that nearly 45,000 organ transplants were performed in Council of Europe member states in 2025, with one-third from living donors. As of the end of 2025, 92,320 patients were on the waiting list for organ transplants, while 7,624 individuals died waiting for a transplant last year.