Marianna B. Vardinogiannis, an UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and active in many charities, passed away at the age of 80 in Athens on Monday.

She had recently been hospitalized in a private hospital and her health condition had deteriorated to an extreme extent that she was on mechanical support, media report.

Neither her hospitalization nor her health problems were leaked to the press.

Marianna Vardinogiannis was a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and an activist for the rights of children and their families and against the sexual abuse of children.

In 2020 she was awarded the Nelson Mandela Prize.

She was also active as a Member of the Board of Directors. of the Library of Alexandria, the International Women’s Movement for Peace, the International Center for Missing and Abused Children (ICMEC), the Mentor Anti-Drug Foundation, Founding Member of the “Light of Africa” Foundation led by His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria, Member of the Presidential Council of “Special Olympics Europe-Eurasia”, etc.

Marianna Vardinogiannis was born in Athens, grew up in Ermioni, western Peloponnese, and studied economics at the University of Denver, Colorado.

Marianna B. Vardinogiannis’ death was announced by her family.