A moving event in honour of the “Power of Motherhood in the COVID-19 era” was organised by the “ELPIDA – Association of Friends of Children with Cancer”, and the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Foundation, on Thursday, 6 May 2021, on the occasion of Mother’s Day.
At the initiative of Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, mothers from Greece and abroad, joined their voices online and spoke from the bottom of their hearts about the tremendous power of motherhood that is keeping our societies standing during the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
OPENING
Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of the ELPIDA Association and the of the same name, honoured with the 2020 United Nations Nelson Mandela Prize, gave a heartfelt talk about the unique power of motherhood, which is “the safest refuge in the darkest hours”, at the opening of the event: “Mother’s Day this year is different, as the pandemic has dramatically changed our lives and societies. But during this major crisis, we felt that the power of motherhood could overcome even the laws of nature. Because thanks to this magical power, mothers throughout the world have managed to keep our societies standing and protect their children even through the difficult circumstances imposed by the pandemic. It isn’t easy. Every mother, whether in Australia, in the USA or on the most isolated island in Greece is striving to keep her children safe. But looking backwards into human history, we realise that mothers have always had this very role during wars, natural disasters, pandemics. During the darkest hours, a mother’s embrace is the most comforting and safe refuge, not just for the child, but for the continuation of mankind.”
Her Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, in her opening address at the event talked about the heavy burden mothers shouldered during the pandemic. “The circumstances of the pandemic made the role of mothers even more complex and their burden heavier. I think of those working mothers who struggle to combine professional and family obligations with young children at home; mothers of single-parent families who have to cope with a demanding daily routine, exclusively responsible for making decisions on matters of health, upbringing and education; vulnerable or elderly mothers and grandmothers who, nearly over a year now, have been experiencing the painful distancing from their children and loved ones; the mothers of children with serious health problems. I think of the women who became mothers during the pandemic, the anxieties, fears and difficulties they faced, which, although not capable of tempering the joy of having a new member in the family, nevertheless place a shadow and burden over it. Most of all however, I think of the internal struggle of mothers who work in the area of health services during this difficult time.”
The First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus, Andri Anastasiades, spoke about the importance of practical support for motherhood, especially in times of crisis such as the one that emerged due to the pandemic: “At a time when changes are taking place at a rapid pace, the title of mother is transformed into the highest, most beautiful and most significant role, and at the same time the most difficult and demanding for family and social cohesion and normality. It is in this context that the practical support of mothers becomes imperative. As the Republic of Cyprus, recognising the possibilities and the difficulties every mother is facing in the modern era, we set the harmonisation between family and professional life as a priority. Just as I said at the beginning, the pandemic and the circumstances it created for everyone – men and women – was a very difficult time. At the same time, we all got the opportunity to rethink our habits and practices, to realise that the substance is in the small things, to feel thankful for everything we have, and to invest in love, solidarity and mutual support. Mothers, having a blood bond with the child, the adolescent and the adult and endowed with the power of love and beauty, are the cornerstone of the family and social structure in general, symbolising the hope for a better future, at the forefront once again of keeping the balance during this difficult time.”
Representing UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, the Director of UNESCO’s Division for Gender Equality, Jamila Seftaoui, addressed the event and spoke in detail about the challenges mothers throughout the world are facing due to the pandemic and stressed that the global community should make decisions in support of women and maternity: “It is clear that states must revisit and implement, indicatively, the Beijing commitments, the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2063 Agenda, as well as the basic commitment to respect for human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women. Financial support packages from the pandemic need to be targeted towards the support of women and we will have re-examine women’s rights in the job market. Mothers should have the opportunity to access financing and digital tools that will help them set up businesses. We must guarantee the safe opening of the schools. The UNESCO Global Education Coalition is already aiming to support 175 governments, agencies and organizations in this direction, so that thousands of girls can return to school. Men must participate in this effort. Men’s responsibility for a world of gender equality and equal opportunities is important for them and for our societies as a whole. The response to the ‘next day of the pandemic’ will not be successful without women!”
The President of the “Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights” Foundation, Mrs Kerry Kennedy, spoke about the ways, policies and solutions through which motherhood can be supported: “We are all in this together. Mothers must be treated with dignity. This means that there has to be security for their basic needs, such as food, clothing, access to medicines and housing. Time for work, sleep, entertainment, personal care and the ability to take care of their families without having to exhaust themselves. Maya Angelou, the acclaimed poet, said, “To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.” Today, let’s all commit to act to lighten the burden of the pandemic that has fallen on mothers. Let’s agree that we will not be satisfied only with a world that is just, but that our dreams will go far beyond fixing everything that has been demolished. We are striving for a world of compassion, peace and respect for one another, where each mother is honoured as the child of God, where all our talents and abilities can shine through. This world cannot be built simply by rebuilding what has been destroyed. This world can be built only with love. The love we learned from our mothers and we, as mothers, taught to our children.”
Claire Giscard d’Estaing, Director of Clearance Groupe, Groupe ETAM, expressed her sincere thanks to Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, whom she called her “Greek mother” and spoke from the heart of the difficulties she faced as a mother who tried to support her three children during the pandemic and as a wife who had to stand by her husband who mourned the loss of his father and former President of the French Republic, Valery Giscard d’Estaing. “Beyond what I experienced personally during the pandemic, what truly impressed me was the strength and courage of the women around me: the Power of Motherhood. Many women experienced much more challenging situations than I did. But they were incredibly strong and were able to support their children in the hope of a better tomorrow. Today my thoughts are with all of these women. Those that are motivated and compelled by love for others, and especially those that stand on the side of their children as they battle cancer. This year showed us that, together and united, we are stronger. “ELPIDA” is living proof and a refuge of true hope in the modern world,” she added.
The event was moderated by journalist Mara Zacharea.
FIRST PANEL: MOTHERHOOD AS A UNIFYING POWER IN THE MODERN WORLD
On the first panel of the event, mothers from across the world spoke of the uniting power of motherhood.
The Vice President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography, Ms Dubravka Suica, spoke about everything that has been done on an EU level regarding gender equality and maternity support, and spoke in detail about the disproportionate burden that women have shouldered during the pandemic: “Before the pandemic, important steps had been taken towards gender equality: female employment rates were close to those of men, and fathers played a greater role in household chores and childcare. The pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities in the EU and underscored the decisive role of women in the front line of the response to the pandemic: as medical or care workers, very often with very low incomes. At the same time, many women had to look after two generations at the same time – the children and the elderly, which is, of course, a great example of solidarity between generations.”
UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, spoke about the challenges in education during the pandemic, as well as the mothers who were asked to undertake the education of their children at home due to the schools closing: “Motherhood is the most difficult full-time job in the world and it has now become even more difficult. Every crisis has racial repercussions. And the pandemic crisis is no exception. At the height of the pandemic, 1.6 billion students were impacted by the closure of schools. Their parents and guardians were equally affected, and the situation remains the same to this day, as many countries implement various methods for learning. Mothers are indeed the first teachers for their children, but unless they are teachers by profession, they cannot have this role at home, while trying to manage remote education. This is a major source of stress and pressure on mothers throughout the world.”
Professor of Civil Law at the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dimitra Papadopoulou-Klamari, spoke in detail about the legal arrangements for mothers in Europe, saying that “no uniform family law exists in the EU. Each country essentially retains its own law,” and citing a number of examples, she spoke in detail about the legal foundation of motherhoods, in cases such as assisted reproduction, surrogate maternity and adoption. “We honour mother’s day, but of a mother, whose status may be determined differently from country to country,” concluded Ms Papadopoulou-Klamari.
The founder of the “Artflyer” Foundation, Alexia Antsaklis-Vardinoyannis, spoke of motherhood as an inspiration for taking initiatives aimed at creating a better world: “The miracle of everything the ELPIDA Association has achieved under the guidance of Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, and the example of my mother, who is a photographer, always inspired me and taught me that motherhood is not only the responsibility to raise our children, but also to follow your dreams of creating a better world so that you can serve as an example for your children. This valuable lesson of this double responsibility guided me in my effort to become a better mother every day and gave me the strength to follow my dreams in such a way as to teach my children that there is good is in each one of us. I chose to work through art which is, and has always been, an integral part of our lives.”
The moderator of this event module was journalist Adriana Paraskevopoulou.
PRESENTATION OF SURVEY “GREEK WOMEN DURING THE PANDEMIC”
Immediately afterwards followed a presentation of the survey carried out on behalf of the ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer on the subject of “Greek Women during the Pandemic”, by company MRB. The survey was presented by the CEO of MRB, Dimitris Mavros.
The survey was carried out on a sample of 554 women, of ages ranging between 17 and 64, with nationwide geographical coverage, on the 16th and 17th of March 2021.
The main findings of the survey were summarized as follows: Greek women have high self-confidence as regards the way in which they responded to the challenges of the pandemic, highlighted the improvement of their relationship with their children, had difficulty in balancing their obligations with their personal needs, expressed great concern about the day after the pandemic, stated that they are supported by their partners, but not always sufficiently, and emerged as heroines of the pandemic, among all categories of women, nurses, doctors as well as mothers with children with chronic illness.
SECOND PANEL: THE POWER OF HOPE: PERSONAL TESTIMONIES
On the second panel of the event, mother-heroines, each one with her own amazing story, spoke from their hearts about the power of motherhood, which helped them keep standing even in the midst of the greatest difficulty.
Mrs. Eleni Alexiou, Head Midwife of the 3rd Maternity and Gynaecological Clinic of the “Attikon” University General Hospital, spoke of the first childbirth that was carried out in our country by a woman who was Covid-19 positive: “Amidst the unknown, pessimism, fear and deaths all over the world, the cry of a baby born by a mother positive to the virus is enough to remind us that hope is always alive! But the surroundings for this mother were grim. She was seeing people around her suited up like astronauts, unable to distinguish their faces. Anxious about the course of her labour, her baby, and her health. She felt isolated. Without her loved ones next to her during this important time in her life. And unfortunately, without being able to touch her baby, caress it, kiss it…”
Mrs. Anastasia Stamatea-Vardoulaki, Chairwoman of the BoD the Association of Parents and Guardians of Children with Neoplastic Diseases “I PISTI” discussed her personal struggle alongside her child when it was diagnosed with cancer: “I attend today’s great event, as a mother who, at some point, was called upon to prove that the power of motherhood knows no bounds. That it can overcome every adversity, and through my experience I can convey the message of solidarity and hope to all mothers who are fighting for their children in any way. When in 2013 my young son became ill with acute leukemia, the initial despair was succeeded by unprecedented resolve, born through the thought that I have a duty to fight the greatest battle of my life. I had no choice. I made the Oncology Unit my home, the other parents my family and the medical and nursing staff my close friends. The position I was in did not allow me to lose hope, nor to feel excessive optimism. There is no greater suffering than this feeling of uninterrupted uncertainty. Hours, days, weeks, months, there was one door dividing me into two parts. Inside the child’s room I was smiling and steadfast, and outside I was sombre and in pieces. It was a battle that would not end quickly, a lot drawn that would test my maternal nature harshly and deeply.”
Mrs. Georgia Oikonomou, a mother who has stayed at the ELPIDA Guesthouse, tearfully spoke out about the time when she and her son Nontas, who is now healthy and studying medicine, were accommodated at the “ELPIDA Guesthouse”: “I am always moved when I mention this great chapter of my life. Because it’s not just Nontas; all of the children are ours. All the mothers there, we stay united. We are mothers of all our children, and above all, our mother is Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, whom we thank, from the heart. I have as a tender memory a poem that talks about the fear of a mother’s soul falling apart, and at the same time the energy the mother herself takes from her child. That is actually the case, and I think it expresses all the mothers there in the ‘ELPIDA Guesthouse’, when we all become one, we become the MOTHER with capital luminous letters that fascinate every child, the mother, the angel, the savagely human angel who tries to run, save, and does not know how. And life tries to triumph because the purpose of every mother in there is for life to triumph”
Mrs. Christina Fytili, an artist, a recovered child of ELPIDA, spoke about how she experienced maternal care, as a child who fell ill with cancer, and how she now experiences motherhood herself: “I would like to say a big thank you to my mother and then to the mother of all the children who have been ill with cancer like me, Marianna Vardinoyannis. My message is different, because I’m not a mom whose child was hosted either at the Guesthouse or at the Children’s Oncology Unit. I myself stayed there as a child twice, as I have been through cancer, and am now experiencing motherhood as a personal experience. I consider motherhood to be the most precious gift God has bestowed on women, and the best thing he has done for children. I always carry with me the gaze, love, caress, power, hope and so many other things that bring to my mind my mother in every moment of my life and mainly the most important ones of that time I was ill. Today, as the mother of an 18-month-old girl, and while expecting my second child in a few months, I would like to be there as a mother for my children, like mine was for me. As an artist, I consider every painting to be my child. But when I felt my daughter inside the womb, I realised what the word “child” really means. A little human this big, created exclusively by you, with no influence from others. You can’t stand anything happening to it, it being in pain, getting hurt, anything. And you can’t bear to separate from it for a moment. It is entirely up to you and it completes you as a person so you can offer it the best.”
Ms Kostoula Christodoulopoulou, Bone Marrow Volunteer at the Volunteer Donor Bank “ORAMA ELPIDAS”, a mother of three, spoke of her experience giving a transplant to save the life of a five-year-old boy, who she now considers her fourth child: “At first, when I learned that I was compatible, I was very afraid. There was also joy and light. There were many mixed feelings that prevailed, beyond my ignorance, when I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I learned very quickly, I asked and reached the decision. I want to thank ORAMA ELPIDAS, the team and the people who helped and supported me. I want to thank my family for standing by me. And so began my journey. I found myself compatible with a five-and-a-half-year-old boy, the only compatible donor in the Global Bank. Of course, it didn’t cross my mind to back down even for a minute. I was the third person in Greece at the time. There were not many others whom I could ask about their experience. I was the mother of three children. At that time my children were fairly young and there were many fears, but I gave the transplant with great love and optimism. And Giorgos is now my fourth child in a way.”
Maria Tsialera, a teacher at the Primary School on Arkioi island, the smallest school in the European Union, with a single student, spoke about the difficulties she is facing: “I’ve been on the island of Arkioi for four years. I serve at the EU’s smallest school. I have only one student for whom I was and I am not just his teacher, his tutor, but also his friend during playtime, during recess, on excursions, his classmate, and his second mother. Because after I met this child, I opened my arms, with care and love as my driving force, to give him the best I could, to show him the world! Because the loneliness this child experiences is terrible. Not having friends around him, classmates, children’s voices or even a second child for company.”
Mary Coustas, a Greek-Australian actor and writer, talked about how hard she fought to become a mother: “Motherhood is a very special issue for me, because I tried so hard to become a mother myself. I made 23 attempts with in vitro fertilisation and eventually became a mother at 49. Looking back at all the moments when I was devastated and all the efforts that didn’t succeed, it was the word “hope” that made me keep trying. And I feel it is very symbolic that the ELPIDA Association is organizing this special event today. Because everything that is great in life requires a lot of hope and support. And the fact that we can talk today about the challenges of motherhood and share our experiences is very important!”
The second panel was moderated by journalist Rania Tragomallou.
CLOSING: TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS
The event closed in a very moving manner, as Mrs Elsi Dimoula read a poem by her late mother, acclaimed Greek poet Kiki Dimoula, titled “Mother of the Lower Floor.” Before reading the poem, Ms Elsi Dimoula said with emotion: “How can I manage this emotion and how can I thank Mrs. Vardinoyannis for reserving this double invitation for me and my mother, because some absences are present…”