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Civil Society in the front of the UN Millennium Development Goals

The "Foundation for the Child and the Family" invited and hosted 22 NGOs and institutions to compose and sign a Declaration for the 8 UN Millennium Development Goals. The Declaration was submitted by the "Foundation for the Child and the Family" to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).

The participant NGOs and institutions were: Actionaid Hellas, ASPE, ARSIS, Medecins du Monde, ELEPAP, Greek Council for Refugees, ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, Greek Family Union, Celebral Palsy Greece, Institute of Social Policy, Ιnstitute for Child Heath, MAKE-A-WISH, The Center for Life, Family and Child Care Center, Human Rights Defence Center, Volunteering NGOs Federation, SOS Children Villages, Fair Play, The Smile of the Child, UNICEF. 

In this declaration they express their faith to collective responsibility and their decision to join forces for an integral approach of the 8 UN Millennium Development Goals and for their quickest possible and most successful implementation.

The 8 UN Millennium Development Goals concern the confrontation of poverty, hunger, disease, lack of substantial survival conditions, health facilities and education, environment, and international cooperation for a sustainable development.

The Declaration was presented by Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis  during a special event organized by the Foundation under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The event was also attended and addressed by the Minister of Development, Mr. Dimitris Sioufas, the Minister of Education, Mrs. Marietta Giannakou, the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr. George Konstantopoulos, and the Mayor of Athens, Mrs. Dora Bakoyannis.

The Officer-in-Charge of the NGO Section of ECOSOC, Dr Michele Fedoroff, who came to Athens especially for this event, emphasised in her talk that as a first step towards the achievement of the 8 Millennium Development Goals, the UN will pursue the following, in the decade 2005-2015:

  1. Reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day.
  2. Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.
  3. Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling.
  4. Eliminate gender disparity at all levels of education.
  5. Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five.
  6. Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio, due to complications in pregnancy or termination in pregnancy.
  7. Reduce by half the HIV carriers.
  8. Reduce by half the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.
  9. Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources.
  10. Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
  11. Achieve significant improvement in lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers.

In conclusion, Dr Michele Fedoroff highlighted the need of adopting politics of supporting and protecting sensitive social groups, the necessity of developed countries offering help to the developing ones as well as the need of international cooperation of NGOs.

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.