CAIRO (ANA-MPA/N. Katsikas) – UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Marianna Vardinoyannis was on Monday presented a recognition award by the New Library of Alexandria in celebration of the ten-year anniversary since the Alexandria Center for Hellenistic Studies was founded in collaboration with the Vardinoyannis Foundation.

The center offers college degrees in the study of the Hellenistic era, including history, literature, art, archaeology, architecture, philosophy and science.

Director of the library (also known as Bibliotheca Alexandrina) Dr. Mostafa el Feki praised Marianna Vardinoyannis for her work and support.

Vardinoyannis expressed her “gratitude for the collaboration and the upgrade of the Center for Hellenistic Studies,” and reaffirmed her continued backing, as she said, “especially for the upcoming generations.”

She was applauded when she said that “Egypt is the only other country in the world where I feel at home, and consider the people here my brothers and sisters.”

At the event, Orthodox Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa bestowed the honor of the Golden Lion of the Order of Alexandria to el Feki, and called the library “a place of god and knowledge.” He also hailed the work of Marianna Vardinoyannis for the center and for children with cancer.