Με επιτυχία πραγματοποιήθηκε εχθές Τρίτη 25 Ιουνίου στην Αίθουσα Τηλεκπαίδευσης Πανεπιστημίου Μακεδονίας ανοιχτή συζήτηση με θέμα "Navigating Consent and Allyship" που διοργάνωσε η Βρετανική Πρεσβεία Αθηνών με την υποστήριξη της Επιτροπής Ισότητας των Φύλων και Καταπολέμησης των Διακρίσεων Πανεπιστημίου Μακεδονίας.

Την εκδήλωση χαιρέτησε η Πρόεδρος της Επιτροπής και στην συνέχεια ακολούθησε συζήτηση στην οποία συμμετείχαν η Nicky McGovern, υψηλόβαθμο στέλεχος της Scotland Yard, η Ράνια Κοσσιόρη, Υποπρόξενος Βρετανικού Προξενείου στη Ρόδο, η Μαρίνα Φαρμάκη Νομικός στο Κέντρο Διοτίμα και η Καθηγήτρια Αναστασία Ψάλτη, τακτικό μέλος της Επιτροπής. Την συζήτηση συντόνισε η Valerie Benguiat, Διπλωματούχος  στην Βρετανική Πρεσβεία Αθηνών.

Επισυνάπτεται ο χαιρετισμός της Πρόεδρου Καθηγήτριας Αικατερίνης Σαρρή.

Welcome, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. My name is Katerina Sarri and I am the chair of the Gender Equality and Non Discrimination Committee at the University of Macedonia.

I am delighted to welcome you to this important discussion on consent and allyship, organized at the initiative of the British Embassy in Athens. We,  are especially honored to host this event during Thessaloniki EuroPride Week. It is a fitting backdrop for our conversation, as the principles of consent and allyship are foundational to the rights and dignities we are here to uphold and celebrate.

Consent is not just a legal formality; it is a cornerstone of personal autonomy and dignity.     It signifies the right of every individual to make decisions about their own body and personal space. Understanding and practicing consent is a fundamental precondition for healthy relationships, fostering respect and mutual understanding between individuals. Moreover, it is central to the prevention of sexual assault and other forms of abuse, making it a topic of utmost importance in our society.

During EuroPride Week, we celebrate the progress made in LGBTQ+ rights and reflect on the challenges that still exist.

Our discussion aims to illuminate these issues and inspire actionable steps towards a more informed and conscientious community. We trust that through this dialogue, we can all gain a deeper understanding of consent and allyship, and leave here better equipped to advocate for and uphold these essential rights.

We are fortunate to have a panel of experts with us who will share their insights on these important topics. They will talk about what consent means, why it matters, and how allies can support and uphold these principles.

Thank you once again for being here. Let's engage in this important conversation and work together towards a future where everyone's right to autonomy and safety is respected and protected, particularly within the spirit and celebration of EuroPride Week.

Now, I would like to invite our discussion moderator, Valerie Benguiat, First Secretary Public Diplomacy, British Embassy Athens, to lead us through. Valerie we are grateful to have you navigate us through this discussion.