International Activity

Marianna V. Vardinoyannis

Through her multiple activities in Greece and abroad, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis has devoted herself on social work, focused on human rights, health and quality of life, solidarity, education, poverty, the abuse and exploitation of children, and the preservation and protection of the family. She promotes issues aimed at the establishment of a culture of peace, and the protection of the worlds' cultural heritage. She is the founder and President of the Foundation for the Child and the Family, and of the ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with cancer. Since 1999 she has been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. She is also on the Board of international institutions active in the fields of culture, peace and education. Her actions are based on the values of universal respect for justice, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and are always directed at solving or crucial social, humanitarian and cultural issues.

Principal international appointments

- UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador - Representative of the Director General of UNESCO for the international promotion of the Cultural Olympiad
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the Library of Alexandria
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the Mentor Foundation
-Member of the Board of Trustees of "The Suzanne Mubarak Women s International Peace Movement"
- Member of the International Committee of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace (Spain)
- Representative in Greece of the European Bureau for Missing and Abused Children (France)
- Member of the Presidential Council of the Special Olympics "Europe-Eurasia"
- Director of International Relations of the Campaign for the Return of the Parthenon Marbles (Great Britain)

Examples of International Activities

• Marianna V. Vardinoyannis was appointed Goodwill Ambassador at a special ceremony held at UNESCO in Paris in October 1999. She is competence for the protection of children, and was also appointed representative of the Director General of UNESCO, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, for the worldwide promotion of the Cultural Olympiads. Among others, the German Ambassador to UNESCO, in the course of a speech at the closure of the assembly of the Executive Council of the Organisation in April 2003, made special reference to her personal contribution to the promotion of UNESCO objectives.

• She actively supports the international efforts for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. In this context, she collaborates with British organisations and with Members of British Parliament, such as Dr Richard Allan, who heads the new campaign for the return of the marbles. The main aim of the campaign is to persuade the British Government to allow the return of the Marbles to Athens, thereby reuniting them with the 40% still in Athens and restoring the monument's integrity. Mrs Vardinoyannis has gathered signatures from international personalities in support of this cause, such as those of Jean-Michel Jarre, Ethel Kennedy, Billy Zane, Stephanie Powers, Princess Beatrice de Bourbon, and others.

• "She organised two concerts with Jean-Michel Jarre at the Theater of Herodes Atticus under the auspices of UNESCO (June 2001). The proceeds of these concerts were donated to the creation of the first Paediatric Oncological Hospital in Greece of ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with cancer, that she also presides, and in support of the New Acropolis Museum. In the course of these concerts, Jean-Michel Jarre performed for the first time a hymn dedicated to the Acropolis.

• " During the visit of the Director General of UNESCO, Mr Koichiro Matsuura, to Athens in September 2001, upon initiative ot Mrs Vardinoyannis , the general director visited Acropolis, and Mrs Vardinoyannis pointed out, that the cultural value of the sculptures of this exceptional monument will prevail after their reunification. In a brief statement following his visit, Mr. Matsuura committed himself to devote UNESCO resources to this cause.

• Responding to Mrs Vardinoyannis/ invitation, the Director General of UNESCO, Mr Koichiro Matsuura, visited Greece in August 2002. During his stay he had the opportunity to visit various archaeological sites protected by UNESCO such as Mycenae, and he attended the performance of an ancient tragedy at the Theatre of Epidaurus. This was opportunity for the Director General to become better acquainted with the values of ancient Greek Civilisation. In the course of a press conference, organised on the occasion of this visit, at the Ministry of Culture, Mrs Vardinoyannis suggested to the Director General that a number of other Greek archaeological sites should be added to the list of UNESCO cultural heritage monuments. This suggestion was accepted in the presence of the Minister of Culture, Mr E. Venizelos.

 

• At Mrs Vardinoyannis/ instigation, and with her support, an exhibition was organised at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, entitled The Unity of an Unique Monument : the Parthenon, where examples were shown of the reunification of the most important Parthenon sculptures currently exhibited at the British Museum and the Acropolis Museum. This exhibition was a landmark in the campaign to heighten public awareness of the need to reunite the elements of this unique monument, which is also UNESCO's emblem. Many personalities were present at the opening of the exhibition, officiated by the UNESCO's Director General, among whom were national representations to UNESCO, including the permanent delegate of the United Kingdom Ambassador, David Leslie Stanton.

 

• She also supports the Programme for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis took an active part, as a member of the Honorary Committee, in the International Conference which was organised by UNESCO in Venice in October 2002, with the support of the Italian Government, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Signature of the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. She delivered an address at the official closing ceremony of the conference. In the context of these celebrations she organised an exhibition of photography entitled "Our Past, Our Future", where remarkable monuments and places of cultural and natural value from all over the world were shown. The exhibition was held in the new UNESCO offices in Venice, and was opened by the Director General of UNESCO, Mr Koichiro Matsuura. At Mrs Vardinoyannis/ instigation the same exhibition travelled to United Nations headquarters in New York. (December 2002).

 

• Marianna V. Vardinoyannis takes a very active part in the annual meetings of the Goodwill Ambassadors at UNESCO. Her proposals have given rise to new initiatives and collaborations between the Ambassadors. In the most recent meeting in February 2003, she contributed to the drafting of worldwide appeal, in the form of a declaration by the 37 Goodwill Ambassadors, for the need for the protection of the world's cultural heritage in cases of war.

• Marianna V. Vardinoyannis is committed to the furthering of UNESCO efforts regarding the protection of oral and intangible cultural heritage, and took the initiative of forwarding the relevant audio-visual material prepared by the cultural section of UNESCO to the 37 Goodwill Ambassadors.

• The Director General of UNESCO and Marianna V. Vardinoyannis were the hosts in the organisation of the H.R.H. Prince of Wales' first visit to UNESCO in February 2003. In the course of this visit a charity concert by the Purcell School was organised. The Purcell School is a music school for the encouragement of new talents, of which Prince Charles is a Trustee. At this event, Prince Charles was awarded the UNESCO Mozart Prize, and in his acceptance speech he thanked Mrs Vardinoyannis, among others, for her role in the concert. The aim of her efforts was the furthering of musical education for youth.

 

• At the instigation of Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, and with her support, an Exhibition of paintings "Breaking the veil: Women Artists from the Islamic world" was organised at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in March 2003. This was an initiative based on the esteem and emphasis Mrs Vardinoyannis places on the promotion of dialogue between cultures as the principal means for the preservation of peace; it was organised to coincide with Global Women's Day. The exhibition was opened by H.M. Queen Rania of Jordan and the Director General of UNESCO, Mr Koichiro Matsuura. The exhibition invited the attention to the representatives of the 27 competent international news agencies. Before the opening, there was a Discussion meeting with the artists and representatives of women's organisations, NGOs, art institutes and others.

 

• "Bethlehem 2000": Mrs Vardinoyannis funded the creation of a Early Childhood resource and Training Centre in the framework of UNESCO's "Bethlehem 2000" programme. The foundation-laying ceremony took place on the 6th April, under the auspices of Mrs Suha Arafat. During her visit she had an official meeting with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr Yasser Arafat. This Centre is part of the Foundation for the Child and the Family's "Chain of Peace" Programme.

• She supports the programme for the conservation of the historic monumente of Saint Sophia in Istanbul. She collaborated with George Dalaras in the organisation of his major concert in June 2003 at the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, the proceeds were forwarded to UNESCO in support of its efforts towards that historic monument. The same concert is to be organised in Istanbul. This initiative is aimed both at furthering dialogue and at the protection of the world's cultural heritage.

• She is responsible of theUnesco s program for protection of the traditional music of Azerbaijan the"Azerbaijani Mugham".