Pembe Mentesh was born in Sydney, Australia to Turkish Cypriot parents who migrated to Australia in the early 70s. Her connection to Cyprus and extended family began from a very young age through her mother’s colouful stories about her own childhood. Pembe is a communications expert with over 20 years of experience in media, public affairs, campaigning, and project management. She moved to Cyprus in 2006 with a plan to stay for “a couple of years” but now after 10 years, a husband and two children she notes that “it looks like I may be staying for a lot longer!”
Pembe has worked on a variety of peacebuilding initiatives with a focus on media, gender, youth and communications through her work with UNDP in Cyprus with additional short-term posts in New York and Amman. Her previous work in Australia involved work with local and state government institutions for education and indigenous communities. As a campaigner and supporter of women’s rights Pembe is also an active contributor to gender initiatives in Cyprus and globally through her involvement with local and international NGOs.
She holds a BA in Communications and is currently working as a researcher, protagonist and blogger on a documentary project titled ‘Forgotten Brides’. The project is about tracing family history and specifically, Pembe’s search for her great Auntie. You can read the blog here: https://forgottenbrides.wordpress.com/
