UREEQA announces a new partnership with the Republic of Cyprus' Ministry of Education, Department of Secondary General Education's music program. This pilot affiliation will grant students from the blockchain-oriented EU nation the opportunity to have their original musical creations protected, managed and monetized on UREEQA's new platform.

The new relationship with the Ministry's Department of Music will enable Cypriot Creators aged 12 to 18 to submit their work for a chance to gain entry into UREEQA's Closed Beta, where the artwork of all kinds is verified to be original, minted as a non-fungible token (NFT) with a digital seal of authenticity on the blockchain.

"Our love of creative work binds us together as global citizens like nothing else," UREEQA CEO Harsch Khandelwal said, "and we're incredibly excited to unite with budding artists in Cyprus. We can't wait to see what these young creative minds will bring to our platform, and we're certain that the benefits associated with our system and our Responsible Minting technology will further stimulate an already robust NFT culture in Cyprus. This will truly be a win-win for Cyprus and UREEQA."

Dr Georgia Neophytou, who oversees the nation's music program(s) as the Inspector of Music Education, echoed Khandelwal's excitement, stating that "The better I understand the principles of it, the more I appreciate the relevance and value this technology could bring to the artists and Creators of Cyprus; even more so, since Cyprus will be the first country in the EU to pilot this. We are a small country, and these kinds of wins are always sought after and critical to us."

The pilot alliance represents a significant step into a new, previously untapped realm for UREEQA's increasingly diverse and extensive portfolio of pledged artists and partners, but there's nothing random about the connection between the two parties.

Through this novel approach, UREEQA is offering access to a new service to Creators from all walks of life, while Cyprus has the opportunity to break new ground in embracing the blockchain and related digital assets, particularly at the grassroots. The University of Nicosia in the nation's capital was the first post-secondary institution in the world to offer a course in blockchain, the first to offer a degree in the same discipline and the first to write academic certificates to the blockchain.

There's no telling what this arrangement could do for music produced by Cypriot youth whose work may have otherwise been lost in the creative world's enormous abyss or how many new musicians or musical producers might emerge upon being motivated by a chance to introduce their creations to a dynamic and influential community like UREEQA's.

In the early stages of the Closed Beta, the UREEQA platform has most notably secured pledged assets from Lifehouse bassist and vocalist Bryce Soderberg, drumming legend Kenny Aronoff, as well as welcoming various music industry leaders to our Board of Advisors, including Kevin Leflar of official Community and Janice Scott, a former VP at the music copyright organization SOCAN.

Now, several talented students in Cyprus will be among the ranks at our Closed Beta and that prospect could inspire hundreds if not thousands of them to further build their musical skills and bolster their portfolios.

"The Republic of Cyprus has a history rich in the arts and culture," Khandelwal added, "and we look forward to helping shine a light on that."