In a celebrating session in the seat of the United Nations in New York, having as cause the International Day Nelson Mandela 2020 of UN to the Ambassador of Good Will of UNESCO, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis on Monday July 18th 2022.

This specific distinction is the highest prestigious for the humanistic offer worldwide and it is awarded every five years to personalities of global recognition with a renowned offer to humanity. The award ceremony that had been postponed due to pandemic, took place this year with the formality required to the Room of the Organization’s general meeting.

 Mrs. Vardinoyannis received this important prize with great emotion and humbleness saying that, it belongs to the thousands of children with cancer that, have won the fight for life:

“This exceptional important distinction is the recognition of my fight against the children cancer and the work of my Foundation for the defense of human rights in education and society. It is a great honor for me, for my country and the Greek people also who have supported my work and my humanitarian efforts. This prize belongs to the thousands of children who are the source of our strength in all our fights against the children cancer for more than 30 years. Children from Greece, Balkan, Mediterranean, Africa and not only, are our every day’s heroes”.

Mrts. Vardinoyannis has also noted that, this specific distinction is a great commitment for her to continue to offer following the steps of the great Nelson Mandela: “During the 35 years of my activity I have always paid efforts to offer any kind of service to the humanity, to “make the difference to the life of other people” in accordance with Mr. Mandela’s wise words. Nelson Mandela has changed the human history, the human mentality and the lives of million people. The strength of his soul, his visions and values lets’ lead our steps. We owe it to the memory of this great defender of the human rights but we also owe it to our children, our civilization, fellow humans and to the life itself”.

Dr. Morissanda Kouyate, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea who has fight for the protection of women from violence in Africa was also awarded with Mrs. Vardinoyannis.

The prizes were given by the President of the General Meeting of un, Mr. Abdulla Shadid and the Deputy Secretary General of the Organization, Mrs. Amina Mohammed who have congratulated Mrs. Vardinoyannis for her humanistic work and her fight against the children with cancer.

The central speaker in this honorable event for the international day Nelson Mandela was Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex who in his speech has referred to the great global challenges that, the war in Ukraine, the pandemic, the inflation and the climate change have created: “We can surrender ourselves to the apathy and despair or to follow the example of Mandela. We can find meaning and purpose in the fight. We can turn our principles to armor. Listen to what Mandela had said to his son “Don’t you ever abandon the fight even in the most hopeless moment”. And find hope where we have the courage to search for it. This  International day Nelson Mandela as a new generation is becoming adult, a generation that, is not aware about Mandela’s leadership lets’ commit to remember and celebrate his life and legacy not only once per year. Because if we can gather our own courage as he has done, if we can see each one of us the humanity of the other, as he has done, a better day will arise in the horizon”.

The Minister of the South America Government, Mr. Mondi Gungubele, the Mayor of New York, Mr. Eric Adams and the representatives of the Africa, Asia, Pacific, Latin America, Caribbean States and West Countries have also spoken about the work and legacy of Nelson Mandela.

The representatives of 193 State-Members of the Organization who have honored Nelson Mandela’s memory have attended the glamorous ceremony while our country was represented by the permanent representative of Greece to UN, the Ambassador Maria Thofili.