Candidate: KOSTAS GIANNOPOULOS

Malala Prize 2015

for freedom and human

rights

Candidate: KOSTAS GIANNOPOULOS

…His life…

Kostas Giannopoulos was born in Athens in 1952. He studied

Marketing in the UK and after completing his studies he returned to Greece where he developed business activities in IT and processing equipment and worked with companies in the world-famous site like IBM, Hewlett Packard and others.

Kostas Giannopoulos stopped his business when, on January 1995, his younger son, Andrew, was diagnosed with cancer at age 10. During the hard battle for his life this small boy envisioned the creation of a Society that would care for the support and protection of all the children in need. On his 10th anniversary Andreas Giannopoulos believed that every child deserves a smile and for this reason he named the Organisation "The Smile of the Child". When Andrew "left“ (passed away)…, Kostas Giannopoulos devoted himself completely to fulfilling the desire of his son! From his first steps ordinary citizens and businesses have embraced the vision of the little man and became warm friends and supporters of the Voluntary Organisation.

The vision of the small Andreas Giannopoulos

"The Smile of the Child" thanks to promotions, donations and support, completed 18 years of continuous presence, and has become a reference point in the field of the protection of children's rights, and has developed a wide range of services and practices to protect children and families at risk.

To increase the effectiveness of development, expertise and in order to exchange good practices in the field, "The Smile of the Child" participates in International Organizations and Networks aiming in the Protection of children's rights, working with relevant agencies abroad and implementing series of programs in different fields related to protection of children's rights.

The logo of the association

Specifically, Kostas Giannopoulos is a member of the Board of the International Centre for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children (ICMEC) and the European Federation for Missing Children (Missing Children Europe). "The Smile of the Child" enjoys special consultative status with Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC) and participates in the Department of Public Information of the same organization. The Greek organization is also a member of the European network Eurochild, the European Federation for street children (EFSC), the International Network Telephone Lines (CHI), while operating since 2010, the European Southeast European Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Kostas Giannopoulos has contributed to the writing of the book entitled "Managementproblems in kindergarten for a smooth transition to the City.

(info by Helen Publications Mello, Athens 2012)

Kostas Giannopoulos

See by yourself on:http://www.hamogelo.gr/1.2/home

Why we believe this person should win the STUDENT EUROPEAN COUNCIL “Malala Prize”?

He is so devoted in this mission and he offers so much in all the children in need regardless their race, without any discrimination!

"THE SMILE OF THE CHILD" is a non-profit voluntary Organisation.

The Organisation’s main concern is defending children's rights, not just on paper but in practice as well, providing services to children on a 24-hour, 7 days a week, 365 days a year-basis, working for their physical, mental, and psychological stability.