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Declaration of Delphi on Children and Peace

We, the participants in the Meeting of Athens and Delphi on “Children and Peace” convened by the “Foundation for the Child and the Family” on the 2nd of June 2000

Demand that the Convention on the Rights of Children be ratified by all States and the Children’s Rights be respected and implemented everywhere. We are all responsible for the children of the world. Many of them are suffering from not only war and violence but also from poverty and lack of basic needs. It is urgent to promote human security in order that the necessary resources be available for food, water, education, health and housing,

Declare that we support the Appeal signed by all Nobel Peace Laureates and the UN Decade for the Culture of Peace (GA 53/25/1998), in order to promote the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the children of the world. Peace education is the most urgent addition to integrate in all curricula,

Considering particularly relevant for the children’s brighter future that the Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture for Peace (UN Res A/53/243, 1999) as well as the Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice (UN- Doc A54/98) be implemented,  

Request that women get their full right to be part of all peace processes, as until now decisions on peace and war have been carried out by men alone,

Urge those responsible in Media, Entertainment and Public Relations,  to take into account the harmful influence on children’s behaviour produced too often by violence,

Express profound concern for the immense amounts of funds devoted to armament and the progressive decrease of those allocated for international co-operation, development and peace building actions on the UN system.  We are equally concerned  that the more advanced countries ignore the commitments acquired in the UN Conferences (for instance on education, environment, social development, equality, non-proliferation treaties, etc),

Our aim is to contribute to create public awareness and consciousness about the peace issues. We appeal therefore to governments, decision makers, parliamentarians, municipal councils, civil society representatives, families, teachers’ associations, NGOs and the Media, to disseminate and implement as expeditiously as possible the following Declaration:

Given that children are the future of mankind and our eternity, and given that children are the most vulnerable creatures,

We, citizens who have gathered from different countries in Delphi, the centre of the Earth according to ancient people, this place of oracles and the first peaceful meeting of cities (i.e. Amphictyonies),

Believe that we are responsible for serving peace based on justice, practice of non-violence and respect of all persons. Only peace can guarantee the prosperity of young people and ensure the harmonious coexistence among people, regardless age, sex, nationality, religion, culture, financial and social situation or physical and intellectual state,

Understand that difficulties do not lie in making good decisions but in implementing them with the assistance of everybody and, in particular, women,

Commit ourselves to work everywhere -- in our families, at our jobs, our meetings, our entertainment activities-- to apply all available means in order to preserve and promote peace so as to constantly and permanently offer to our children a core of tenderness, protective surroundings and a safe environment, 

Declare that we want to act unceasingly to ensure to young people the time required for their development in order to be able to meet all their needs in the future, whether be material or not.

In this context, we demand that States guarantee to their young people an educational system with no problems, offering gratuitous and thorough education because this is necessary to develop a cultural background which will promote aptitude for arts and intellectual skills and enable them not only to become part of real life as responsible persons, fully aware of their rights and obligations, but also to express their creativity in the fields of  their choice.

In addition, we must act in a way that enables girls and boys to exercise the right to criticism from their childhood.

Only freedom and democracy (political, social and economic) applied in practice by everybody in their public and private lives at all levels, can create the conditions required for the respect of individual rights, a creative dialogue among people, justice and equal opportunities for all.

We ask everyone to contribute to our work for peace.

2011
UNESCO Heads of States Forum
There is HOPE!
Cultural Heritage - Climate Change - The teacher's role - Presentation of the book "The country of two suns"
International Women's Day - The Educational Institute AKMI IVT honours Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.
The "Pancretan Association of Athens" honours Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.
Marianna V. Vardinoyannis "Woman of the year 2011".
Excellence Awards, Greeks who are Role Models for the New Generation.
Presentation of the Greek publication of Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis' book "Labouring with the Challenges of Female Identity: Insights into Minoan Society".
2010
Presentation of the book "Labouring with the challenges of female identity: Insights into the Minoan society" at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
The Global Forum against human trafficking.
Marianna V. Vardinoyannis - ELPIDA Children's Oncology Unit.
Makistos smiles again!
83000 signatures for the "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
10th Annual Meeting of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors
An event for the "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
International campaign supporting Greece.
The international "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
First meeting of the Friends of the Aswan Heart Centre.
2009
Global Campaign for the Climate Justice.
Inauguration of the new Acropolis Museum.
Declaration of the International Conference "Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations".
International Conference "Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations".
International Conference «Crossing Borders to Protect the Children of the World» and the Cairo Declaration.
International Conference in Bahrain "Human Trafficking at the Crossroads of East- West" and the Manama Declaration.
Summer Deaflympics - Athens 2013.
2008
The Vienna Forum against human trafficking.
Mothers - Olympic Champions of Love.
Universal call for the Climate Change.
The 4th Global Youth Employment Summit on the fight against poverty and unemployment, in Azerbaijan and the Baku Declaration.
The appeal of Ancient Olympia.
The “Alexandria Center for Hellenistic Studies” in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Marianna V. Vardinoyannis "Great Lady of the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria".
2007
2nd Workshop on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts.
The Chart of Paris against cancer.
The first Oncological Hospital for children in Greece.
Lecture of the H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak in Athens, Greece.
Fairuz Concert in Athens, Greece.
International Youth Forum for Peace in Sharm El Sheikh.
Global Humanitarian Forum.
Makistos smiles again.
2006
Round Table " The Business Community against Human Trafficking".
Fundraising Dinner to support the “End Human Trafficking Now” global campaign.
The "Athens Principles" in Davos.
International Center for Peace Studies.
Protecting youth from drugs.
The Multicultural Children Centre “Athina” in Belgrade.
1st Workshop on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts.
Marianna V. Vardinoyannis – Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.
2005
Helping the children of Palestine- Fundraising dinner in Cairo.
The UN Millennium Development Goals and Civil Society.
The Declaration of 22 Greek organisations on the UN Millennium Development Goals.
2004
Exhibition of Traditional and Contemporary Handicrafts from Jordan.
International Conference “Women in the Service of Peace” in Paris.
International Conference “Women defending Peace” in Geneva.
2003
2nd European Conference of Legal Practitioners on juvenile matters.
Exhibition "Breaking the Veils", Exhibition of women artists from the Islamic World, at UNESCO.
Exhibition “The Unity of an Unique Monument: the Parthenon”, at UNESCO.
The Mentor Awards.
Awards to mothers.
2002
Bibliotheca Alexandrina. A wonder of the modern world.
Mother: A Symbol of life, hope and peace.
Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders who change our world.
Contemporary Societies - Multicultural Co-existence- The position of the child.
The protection of the World Cultural nad Natural Heritage.
2001
The child: victim of war and messenger of peace.
2000
A Model Area for creative activities in the Municipality of Ano Liosia.
Mother: A Symbol of life, hope and peace.
Children: Symbol of hope, will, courage.
The Meeting of Athens and Delphi on Children and Peace.
The Declaration of Delphi on Children and Peace.
1st International Conference for the Culture of Peace.
Early Childhood Resource and Training Center in Bethlehem.
1999
By the side of mothers and children behind bars.
Juvenile disappearance and abduction.
The Hague Appeal for Peace.
International Conference “Family and Children in the European society of the 21st Century” in Paris.
Support for the children - victims of war in the Balkans.
By the side of the earthquake victims.
International Conference “Sexual abuse of children and paedophilia in the Internet”.
1998
A three-point shot for a life.
European Forum "FAMILY - EUROPE - 21ST CENTURY: Vision and Institutions".
Family and the mass media.
Presentation of the Minutes of the European Forum "FAMILY - EUROPE - 21ST CENTURY: Vision and Institutions"
1997
International Conference “Priority to the Dignity and Safety of the children in Europe”.
By the side of the children of Xanthi.
Embracing children suffering from AIDS.
The International Convention on Children's Rights and the role of the European Union.