A musical performance of remembrance and tribute dedicated to the universal Greek figure, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, whose life and invaluable humanitarian work touched the lives of thousands, generously offering Love, Hope, and Light, was held by the family of Vardis I. Vardinoyannis, in collaboration with the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation” and the “ELPIDA – Association of Friends of Children with Cancer,” on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at a packed Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The event was attended by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, as well as international figures and people closely connected to her life and work.
In a unique and deeply moving tribute, both grand and simple—just like Marianna herself—with the participation of 12 renowned Greek artists, the talented director Giorgos Nanouris “highlighted” the most significant moments of Marianna V. Vardinoyannis’s life and work, bringing her forth as a central figure at the ancient Roman Odeon.
The symbolic day of the feast of Saint Sophia, Faith, Love, and Hope was chosen for the event.
Marianna’s voice, her words, beliefs, and visions, which guided her life and inspired the creation of a vast chain of love and giving over the past decades in Greece, were heard during the performance. Inside the uniquely illuminated Odeon of Herodes Atticus, lit by Eleftheria Deko, these words evoked waves of emotion and deep feelings in the audience, while the light of the full moon added to the enchanting atmosphere.
The highlight of the evening was when children who had recovered through ELPIDA—Panagiotis Kokkinos, Christina Fytili, Efi Vlamis, and Irene Samioti—along with Vasilis Stefanou, a compatible donor from the ORAMA ELPIDAS Association, shared their personal stories. They invited the audience to light candles in memory of Marianna, in a deeply moving moment of reverence, respect, and remembrance for a woman who dedicated her life to helping others.
In this extraordinary performance, beloved songs were performed by top artists who have long supported Marianna V. Vardinoyannis’s work. Specifically, at the remembrance evening the Artists for ELPIDA included Natasa Theodoridou, Marinella, Alkistis Protopsalti, Antonis Remos, Sakis Rouvas, Maria Farantouri, Michalis Hatzigiannis, and renowned Greek composers Stefanos Korkolis, Evanthia Reboutsika, and Giorgos Hadjinassios, who performed some of their most famous pieces. Additionally, actors Grigoris Valtinos and Katerina Lehou presented the life and work of a remarkable, radiant soul who always prioritized Humanity, ultimately changing thousands of lives for the better in Greece and abroad, offering a second chance at life. The Spyros Lambrou Children’s Choir also participated in the event.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay delivered a heartfelt tribute, speaking from the heart about the Marianna she knew, whom she described as a “Greek goddess” who taught the world about love and made her life a wonderful journey. She said: “Tonight, I would like to speak from a different perspective, as a foreigner, a Frenchwoman, who has the privilege of leading UNESCO. Without a doubt, for us, Marianna was our Greek goddess. For 25 years, as a Goodwill Ambassador, she devoted herself, body and soul, with relentless passion, to our organization’s mission in education, culture, and sciences… Dear Yiannis, Giorgos, Christianna, Nikos, and Vardianna, your mother often said that the greatest love she had was for you and your children. And for her husband, your father. You will always carry her memory within you. Allow me to close with the words of the poet Constantine Cavafy. In his beautiful poem Ithaca, he offers the following advice to Odysseus:”
“‘But do not rush the journey at all.
Better it lasts for many years;
and that you anchor at the island, old,
rich with all you’ve gained on the way.’
Marianna made her own life a wonderful journey. I am proud that we walked together on this journey. Thank you very much, Marianna Vardinoyannis.”
The Vardinoyannis family, the children and grandchildren of the late Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, along with prominent figures from Greece and abroad, attended the event to pay tribute to the remarkable Greek woman who pioneered new paths in humanitarian work, philanthropy, and solidarity, leaving an unparalleled legacy for Greece. Attendees included Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Princess Amalia of the Netherlands, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Konstantinos Tasoulas, Mareva Mitsotaki, former Presidents Boris Tadic of Serbia, Mladen Ivanic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus with his wife Andri Anastasiades, former Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos with his wife Sissy Pavlopoulou, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation Kerry Kennedy, Louis Giscard d’Estaing and his wife Claire, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors Kim Phuc and Hedva Ser, world-renowned heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub, former Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis and his wife Natasa Pazaïti, PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, President of Plefsi Eleftherias Zoe Konstantopoulou, ministers, ambassadors, representatives of the Church and armed forces, Queen Anne-Marie, Prince Pavlos, and Princess Marie-Chantal, Prince Nikolaos, Prince Philip, Prince Alexander, and Princess Katherine of Serbia. Also present were entrepreneurs, journalists, intellectuals, artists, cultural figures, athletes, presidents of major foundations in Greece, as well as recovered children, doctors, and nurses from the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Children’s Oncology Unit. All paid their respects to the great Greek woman who paved the way for humanitarianism, offering, and solidarity, leaving behind a legacy that has no equal.
