20 Athens College Junior High School students participated in the 9th Panhellenic "Students in the Role of a Diplomat" UN Committees Simulation Conference which took place in Thessaloniki on December 13 - 15 December, 2024. During the first two days, in the hospitable premises of the Apostolos Pavlos Schools, our students worked in the individual committees for which they had prepared in special meetings with the conference organizers, composing "position papers". The committees covered a wide range of human rights (including: right to physical and mental health; right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; elimination of discrimination against women in employment, education, marriage and family relations; combating violence against women; disability: independent living and integration into society; accessibility; prohibition of racial propaganda and hate speech).

On the last day, at the Vellideion Conference Center, all participants attended the presentation of the conclusions of the committees, under the guidance of the "inspiration" of the conference, Dr. P. Naskos-Perrakis, Professor of International Law and International Organizations at the University of Macedonia and Director of the UNESCO Chair of Intercultural Policy. Remarks were delivered by distinguished guests, among others, Ms. Katerina Tsapikidou, representative of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yannis Katsaros, Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Education, Mr. Dimitrios Fatouros, Head of Communication of the United Nations Information Center in Greece, Dr. Ghassan Khalil - Diplomatic Representative of UNICEF in Greece, Dr. Alexandra Xanthaki - Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights of the UN, Ms. Maria Gavouneli - Professor of Law at the Law School of Athens University and President of the National Committee for Human Rights. At the same time, a message sent by the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Gutiérrez, was read.

At the award ceremony, our students Alafogiorgos Dimitrios and Papathanasiou Theodora received an honorable mention for their contribution to the committees they worked on.

Participants: Alafogiorgos D., Alexopoulou E., Georgiou A., Iliopoulou V., Kanellopoulou L., Loumidi M., Brili M., Nikolaou K., Ntouvli D., Nikopoulos N., Papadimitriou E., Papathanasiou Th., Pavlou M., Revelas I., Sakellari M., Stamelou N., Sfakianoudi P., Tsakonas A., Tsigri A., Tsoukalas A.


Responsible teachers: Ms. L. Zisi, Ms. A. Sarantopoulou