The Director-General, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura and 18 UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors met on July 27th 2000 at Organization Headquarters in Paris to discuss the Ambassadors? potential contribution and the Organization?s future priorities.
The Ambassadors attending the meeting were: Jose Antonio Abreu, Patrick Baudry, Pierre Cardin, Claudia Cardinale, Marin Constantin, Cheick Modibo Diarra, Miguel Angel Estrella, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, Princess Firyal, Jean-Michel Jarre, Omer Zulfu Livaneli, Kitin Munoz, Kim Phuc, Susana Rinaldi, Sheikh Ghassan I. Shaker, Zurab Tsereteli, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis and Julio Werthein.
Mr Matsuura declared to the Ambassadors: You have accepted to use your talent and celebrity to disseminate the ideals of UNESCO.
An international conference was held in Athens and in Delphi, in June 2000, within the framework of the UNESCO program for Peace culture and on the occasion of the proclamation of 2000, by the UN, as an International Year for Peace culture and non violence. The conference was entitled: “Meeting of Athens-Delphi for Children and Peace” and was organized by the “Foundation for the Child and the Family” in cooperation with the Peace International Bureau, under the auspices of UNESCO.
On the occasion of the Mothers Day, the Foundation bestowed prizes on six mothers who, each in her own way, are battling for life, giving hope and struggling for peace. The evene was organized on May 11th 2000 at the Old Parliament Building, in Athens.
Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis opened the event with an address, in which she emphasised significance and multifaceted role of the mother, which was and remains crucial, both in human society and in our hearts. Mrs. Vardinoyannis referred to the aims of the event and to the mothers honoured by the Foundation:
In February 2000, among 600 children illuminating the area with their smiles, Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of the Foundation for the Child and the Family, inaugurated the model Area of Creative Activities in the Municipality of Ano Liosia which was severely affected by the earthquake of September 1999- and gave toys to the children.
In the framework of UNESCOs programme concerning paedophilia on the Internet, the Foundation for the Child and the Family organised the European Conference entitled The sexual abuse of children, and paedophilia on the Internet. The Conference was held on 2nd -3rd December 1999 at Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall.
With the initiative of the “Foundation for the Child and the Family” and the “ELPIDA” Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, food, hygiene supplies, medicine, clothing, tents, blankets were collected and offered for the needs of the families, which were forced to abandon their houses and live in settlements at the Municipality of Fili due to the earthquake of the 7th of September 1999 in Attica. The President of two Foundations, Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, also decided to create a pre-constructed building which will be located in the regions affected by the earthquake to an extent of 200 square metres,
The President of the Foundation for the Child and the Family, following an invitation from the Mayor of Korydallos, visited the women’s jail, where babies and small children are obliged to live together with their mothers. Having been informed of the inmates’ everyday practical and personal problems, by the mothers, Mrs Vardinoyannis attempted to respond to as many as possible of their requests.
The proceedings of the conference entitled: «L ‘Enfant et la Famille dans la societe du XXIe siecle en Europe», organized by the University of Europe and the “Foundation for the Child and the Family” at the Sorbonne, in June 1999. Congress examined the language and family issues in the context of new technologies and socio-cultural elements that characterize European cities.