“Breaking the Veil” – Islam Women Exhibition at UNESCO
To honour the Woman’s Day, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, undertook the initiative to present the exhibition “Breaking the Veils”, which is made up of women painters’ works from the Islamic world at UNESCO’s headquarters, in Paris.
The exhibition was held under the auspices and with the presence of H.M. Queen Rania of Jordan.
It dedicated to the Woman- fighter, Woman-mother, Woman-creator, who stands up against violence and intolerance and struggles against ignorance and prejudices in every part of the world. The exhibition refered to works and days of women creators who belong in different doctrines- Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism – and live in one of the 21 Islamic countries. Through their works, they try, just like their predecessors, to enrich their civilizations, to touch only human souls and to raise the spirit of the spectators conveying them purely artistic values.
The exhibition opened on the 8th of March 2003 and was inaugurated with a great success. Indeed, there were numerous distinguished guests while the photographers and the TV cameras literally invaded the exhibition hall (some of the 27 news agencies, television channels, newspapers and magazines that were represented were the following: L’ Express, RTL TV1, Star Channel, Rai TV, Sipa Press, Agence Saola, AP Photo, Le Figaro Magazine, Point de Vue, La Tribune, etc).
The guests were welcomed and shown around by UNESCO Director-General, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura and Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.
Among the guests there were also: the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, H.H. Grand Duchess Maria-Teresa of Luxembourg, the President of the Royal Society of Fine Arts of Jordan, H.R.H. Princess Wijdan Ali, H.M. Begum Inaara Agha Khan, the Director of Royal Society of Fine Arts of Jordan, Dr. Khalid Khreis, the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors, Mr. Jean-Michel Jarre and Mr. Pierre Berge, Jordan’s Ambassador in France, Mrs. Dina Kawar, the President of the FAM network, Mrs. Alice Moschi-Gauget, personalities from the field of Letters and Art and other distinguished members of the Parisian society.
At the official presentation of the exhibition that took place in UNESCO’s Conference Center, the speakers were: H.R.H. Princess Wijdan Ali,
UNESCO Director of Strategic Planning, Mr. Hans d’ Orville, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis and Mrs. Alice Moschi-Gauget. A discussion followed among the women artists and representatives of the women’s organizations and NGOs.
It is worth noting that the exhibition entitled “Breaking the Veils” was presented for the first time in the island of Rhodes (Greece), in September 2002, and was organized by the Royal Society of Fine Arts of Jordan and the Pan Mediterranean Network of Women Creators named FAM (Woman – Art- Mediterranean). The exhibition was also presented in January 2003, in Athens. After Paris, where it remained until the 14th of March, the exhibition will travel in many other European, American and Asian cities.
- 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.