Paphos:Cyprus is set to host the European Day for Organ, Tissue and Cell Donation in 2026, according to an announcement by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM).
According to Cyprus News Agency, the event, commonly known as European Donation Day (EDD), will be celebrated from October 8 to 10 under the theme 'Sharing lives'. This year's celebrations will primarily take place in Paphos and are being organized by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus and the Cyprus Transplantation Council, with support from the Karaiskakio Foundation, in collaboration with the EDQM.
In a gesture of solidarity, historic buildings in Strasbourg (Palais de l'Europe) and Paphos will be illuminated in green, the color of EDD, throughout the event. EDD serves as an opportunity to honor donors and their families, highlight transplant recipients' journeys, and acknowledge the professionals whose expertise and dedication facilitate organ donation and transplantation.
Petra Doerr, Director of the EDQM, remarked on the significance of the occasion, stating that donation is a remarkable act of solidarity that transcends borders. It unites individuals, communities, healthcare professionals, and institutions in a shared goal of saving lives and restoring health.
The scale of this solidarity is evident in the nearly 45,000 organ transplants conducted in Council of Europe member states in 2025, with one-third involving living donors. As of the end of 2025, 92,320 patients were awaiting organ transplants, hoping for transformative or life-saving treatments. Unfortunately, 7,624 people died last year while waiting for a transplant.