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The Inauguration of the Centre for Hellenistic Studies in the Library of Alexandria

 

The establishment and operation of the Centre for Hellenistic Studies in the Library of Alexandria constitutes a vision which came true thanks to the initiative of the President of the "Foundation for the Child and the Family", Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis and the Chairman of the "Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation", Mr. Antonis Papadimitriou, as well as the sponsorships of the "Vardinoyannis Foundation" and "The Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation".

The Center aims at the promotion of Greek culture abroad as well as the history of Hellenistic era during which the ancient Library of Alexandria was founded. Faculties of History, Philosophy, Literature and Fine Arts are composing the Centre for Hellenistic Studies. The Centre is accommodated by the Library, which in collaboration with Alexandria University will issue diplomas as well as Postgraduate and Doctorate degrees. The Library of Alexandria will provide the use of lecture and conference halls, whilst students from all over the world are to have free access to the Library's facilities for research purposes. The courses will be taught in English. The Centre will be managed by seven Board Members, headed by the Library's Director; an Academic Council comprising of esteemed academics specialising in the subjects researched at the Centre will also be formed. The Academic Council will serve as an advisory body to the Management Board, in matters concerning the Centre's operation, the programmes of studies, the criteria of student selection, academic staff selection as well as the Centre's relevant activities in general by monitoring the academic performance of its students.

The establishment of the Centre marks the opening of new paths of research and knowledge and yet another link in the chain of the good relations between Greece and Egypt. The inauguration ceremony was held in the Library of Alexandria in November 2008, under the auspices of the First Lady of Egypt, H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, and the presence of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II.

Mr. Antonis Papadimitriou, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis and Dr. Ismail Serageldin.

The event started with a speech by the Director of the Library of Alexandria, Dr. Ismail Serageldin, who said, inter alia: "There could not be a more suitable place, symbolically or literary, for the operation of the Centre for Hellenistic Studies, than Alexandria, the city that Alexander the Great founded in 331 B.C. and was the capital of culture of the whole world at that time as well as the birth place of knowledge and science in the Hellenistic Period". During his speech, Dr Ismail Serageldin praised Mrs. Vardinoyannis’ work, underlying that her participation in the Board of Trustees of the Library has been decisive for the development of the Library since the first moment of its constitution 9 years ago.

 

The Greek State was represented by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Theodore Kassimis, who addressed a warm greeting and congratulated Mrs. Vardinoyannis, and Mr Papadimitriou, for their important initiative; Mr Kassimis also announced that from 2009 onwards the Greek State will provide the Egyptian students with two more scholarships for studies in Greek universities.

Then, His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II addressed a greeting which was particularly touching as this was the first time that he had been given the chance to visit the Library and admire this astonishing achievement.

 

Speaking in turn, Mr. Antonis Papadimitriou said that the objective of his Foundation concerning the establishment of the Centre was to form a body of researchers from all over the world, who will focus on the Hellenistic Period, as in the Library of Alexandria there is great volume of material on this period yet to be explored.

During her speech, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, could not hide her emotions: "I will never forget the first time when Dr Ismail Serageldin and I proposed to H.E. Mrs Mubarak the idea of creating the Centre. She immediately embraced the idea and encouraged us in every step". She further expressed her gratitude, as well as the

gratitude of the founder of "Vardinoyannis Foundation", Mr Vardis Vardinoyannis, towards the President of Egypt, H.E. Mr Hosni Mubarak, as thanks to his vision and determination the Library of Alexandria revived,  towards H.E. Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, "the soul of Library" as Mrs. Vardinoyannis characteristically stated, as well as towards Dr Ismail Serageldin, who worked as the head of the establishment of the Centre. She then concluded: "My family considered the foundation of the Centre for Hellenistic Studies a duty to our home country in order the ancient Greek spirit to be revived in the modern conservatory of culture, the Library of Alexandria". Immediately after, Mrs. Vardinoyannis symbolically offered Dr Ismail Serageldin a book on the Hellenistic Period, so that it is the first one to be placed on the bookshelves of the Centre, as well as a silver tablet with the emblem of the Centre.

 

The ceremony closed with the lecture of Professor Nano Chatzidaki, who gave a presentation on the exhibition of Byzantine icons from the Velimezis-Margaritis collection, which was inaugurated immediately afterwards, integrating the opening of the Centre for Hellenistic Studies.

The event was also attended by: the Governor of Alexandria, Mr Adel Labib as well as other prominent personalities from the political and academic world of Egypt, the President of the Association of Friends of Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Mr. Andreas Zaimis,  Prof. Theodoros Panagopoulos, Dr Spiros Kamalakis, Prof. Efthymios Soulogiannis, many members of the Board of Trustees of the "Alexander S. Onassis Foundation" –Mr. Apostolos Zampelas, Prof. Georgios Babiniotis, the former Ambassador Mr. Michael Sotirhos and his wife Estelle, Mr. Stefanos Tamvakis, Ms Anna Panagiotarea as well as, Mrs. Helen Papadimitriou, the Chairman of the Greek Festival, Mr. George Loukos, the Director of the New Acropolis Museum, Prof. Dimitris Pantermalis, and others.

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.