Athens, 13 June, 2014
In an effort to promote a European strategy against bullying “The Smile of the Child” organization in cooperation with 17 organizations across 13 EU Member States announced today the official establishment of a European Anti-bullying Network in a celebratory event held under the auspices of the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The European Anti-bullying Network (EAN) will be based in Brussels and is comprised of 17 organizations from 13 European countries. Aim of the EAN is to expand to more countries in Europe and to be represented in at least one EU Member State. More importantly, the ambition of the Network is to develop into an inclusive organization for all the important governmental, non-governmental and relevant stakeholders working against bullying.
The main goals of the Network are:
- The coordination of anti-bullying actions and initiatives on the European level;
- The promotion of a common European strategy against bullying in Europe;
- The exchange of good practices and the provision of trainings to all sort of professionals working in the field;
- Raising awareness on the phenomenon among the general public and the actors involved in this serious problem.
The founding members of the European Anti-bullying Network elected as President of the Board of Directors, Costas Yannopoulos, Chairperson of The “Smile of the Child”, while the distinguished Professor of Psychology and world leading expert in the area of bullying and cyber bullying Dan Olweus is the Honorary Member of the Board.
“The establishment of the Network is only the beginning of an ambitious endeavor that came into reality in the framework of the EU-funded European Anti-bullying Network project and comes to unite the experts in the field of bullying with those people working on the frontline” Costas Yannopoulos said.
Dan Olweus framed the importance in promoting a coordinated European response against bullying based on already existing examples implemented successfully in the United States. “Combining theory with practice can provide effective solutions and eliminate the suffering of many children and young people in Europe” he highlighted.
The Board of Directors composition is:
President
Costas Yannopoulos, Greece
Vice-Presidents
Paul Dalli, Malta
Maria Rita Bracchini, Italy
Secretary General
Nicola Daley, United Kingdom
Treasurer
Paul Dalli, Malta
Members
Robertas Povilaitis, Lithuania
Ioana Sandru, Romania
Rossanka Venelinova, Bulgaria
The Network is comprised of the following founding Members:
- Spain: ASSOCIACO BAOBAB
- United Kingdom: BEATBULLYING
- Latvia: CHILDREN AND YOUTH TRUST PHONE
- Lithuania: CHILD LINE
- Spain: CONFEDERACION ESPANOLA DE CENTROS DE ENSENANZA-CECE
- Italy: COOPERATIVA SOCIALE COOSS MARCHE ONLUS SOC. COOP.P.A
- Italy: CESIE
- Italy: CENTRO STUDI E FORMAZIONE- VILLA MONTESCA
- Romania: DIRECT ASSOCIATION
- GreeceELLINOGERMANIKI AGOGI
- Malta: FAMILIES FOR LIFE LONG LEARNING
- Italy: IL TELEFONO AZZURRO ONLUS
- United Kingdom: MERSEYSIDE EXPANDING HORIZONS
- Estonia: NGO ESTONIAN MENTAL HEALTH SOCIETY
- Bulgaria: NADJA CENTRE FOUNDATION
- Croatia: NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN
- Greece: THE SMILE OF THE CHILD
- Germany: YOUTH EUROPEAN SOCIAL WORK- YES FORUM (EWIN)
The establishment of the Network was the main objective of the “European Anti-bullying Network” Project implemented by “The Smile of the Child” and 16 more organizations under the funding of the Daphne III Programme of the European Commission.
For more information on the EAN project visit our website www.antibullying.eu, please contact:
Coordinator: The Smile of the Child – Panagiotis Pardalis, Communication Officer at
panagiotispardalis@hamogelo.gr or +30 210 33 06 140
CESIE: Luisa Ardizzone, Project Manager
This publication has been produced with the financial support of the Daphne III Programme of the European Commission. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of CESIE and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission.
