A special event was held on occasion of the “Thermopylae – Salamis 2020” Anniversary Year, at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, under the auspices of his Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Prokopis Pavlopoulos, titled “The many and the few: multitude and virtue”. A focal point of the battles between the Persian Empire of King Xerxes and the Greek City-States during the Persian wars was the great disproportion in numbers which was effectively overcome. The victory of the Greek cities paved the way for the Golden Age of Athens, thus allowing ancient Greek philosophy and art to become the foundation of Western Civilisation.

The President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos met withthe Board of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, on Wednesday, 22 January 2020.

“I would like to warmly thank you all for your presence at the Presidential Mansion of the Hellenic Republic, and I would like to congratulate you for the overall work of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center. I would also like to note that during these difficult times the Nizami Ganjavi International Center is on a very difficult mission, which is multi-faceted and multi-layered. Moreover, I must commend you for the subject of the Seminar you organised here in Athens:

A strong international message about the dangers of climate change and the need to protect the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean was sent by prominent figures from Greece and abroad, during the 20th High Level Meeting of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, held in Athens from the 20th to the 23rd of January 2020, at the initiative of the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Foundation.

Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of the Foundation with her name, and founding member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, with the Center’s Co Chair,

International Scientific Conference “Thermopylae and Salamis: Assessing Their Importance in the Modern World” – Θερμοπύλες – Σαλαμίνα 2020

The events of the Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation for the 2500 year anniversary of the battles of Thermopylae and Salamis were kicked off with an international scientific conference, attended by the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr Prokopiοs Pavlopoulos and top academics from the world’s largest universities, on Monday, 20 January, 2020, at the Stavros Niarchos Hall of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Culture Center.

International Scientific Conference “Thermopylae and Salamis: Assessing Their Importance in the Modern World”

An important event to promote reading and equal access to education was held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, on Saturday, 18 January 2020, with the support of the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Foundation

The event was organised in the context of the “Reading Night”, a global annual event launched in 2017 and already being organised in 32 countries across the world.

It entails a number of activities organised by international organisations, schools, libraries and agencies across the world, aiming to promote reading and disseminate the messages of humanitarianism and solidarity which are conveyed through books.

Goodwill Ambassador, Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis met with the Director-General of UNESCO, Mrs Audrey Azoulay, on Saturday, 18 January 2020, at the UNESCO headquarters, in Paris.

Mrs Vardinoyannis and Mrs Azoulay, had a substantial and constructive discussion on national matters of cultural heritage, which are a key priority for Mrs Vardinoyannis in the framework of her duties as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Mrs Vardinoyannis informed the Director-General of UNESCO about important matters of our country, and Mrs Azoulay’s response was highly positive.

“Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Foundation cooperation with Athens College – Θερμοπύλες – Σαλαμίνα 2020

A Memorandum of Cooperation, in the context of the “Salamis – Thermopylae 2020” Anniversary Year was signed between the Administration and Management of the Athens College and the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Foundation.

The President of the Honorary Committee for the “Salamis – Thermopylae 2020” Anniversary Year, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, on Friday, 17 January 2020, met with the Chairman of the Board of the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation, Mr Nikos Tsavliris and the President of the Athens College,

It was the younger generation, and specifically the students of the Primary Schools of the entire country, which Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of the foundation with her name and President of the Honorary Committee of the “Thermopylae – Salamis 2020” Anniversary Year, chose to launch the activities and events of the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Foundation for the Anniversary of the 2500 years from the Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis.

With this highly symbolic move, the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Foundation launches its activities with the Panhellenic Art Competition for Primary school children,