Lebanese First Lady visits sick children in Greece

The Lebanese First Lady, Wafaa Sleiman, visited Elpida association Center, which hosts and treats children with cancer, following the state visit of the Lebanese president, General Michel Sleiman to Greece. The President of the association, Marianna Vardinoyannis, delivered a speech in which she welcomed the Lebanese First Lady and her accompanying delegation. She said she was delighted of her presence in Greece and her interest in the issue of the sick children. After seeing video about the institution's history, Ms. Vardinoyannis informed her attendants of the association's efforts to secure the latest and most sophisticated cancer treatments. Attendants visited the premises where Mrs. Sleiman praised the association's programme, which treats young patients for free, and efforts undertaken to help sick children in their fight against cancer. Mrs. Sleiman called for the exchange of experiences between Lebanon and Greece in this field. At the end of the tour, the First Lady signed the association’s guest book stating: “in this place, I felt the spirit that moves workers in this association to embrace sick children with love and humanity. What you are doing now spurs from the legacy of Greece filled with authentic faith and values. You should be proud that you are trying to make those children happy, amid the difficulties of the disease and pain." The wife of the President visited Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum in Athens, established in 1994 which is one of the associations that maintain ancient Greek art and aims to develop all forms of art, especially painting and jewellery manufacturing. Mrs Sleiman was then greeted by the Greek Foreign Minister's wife, Vivian Avramopoulos, in the Byzantine and Christian museum.