The Smile of the Child

30+1 Years of Action, with Children's Needs at the Heart of Its Mission

Artificial Intelligence, Family and Violence Take Centre Stage at a Major Event at the Athens Conservatoire

Concerning Findings from a Nationwide Survey Conducted by Focus Bari

Insights from Three Distinguished Academics: George Chrousos – Yannis Panousis – Panagiotis Anastasiadis

Over 30+1 Years, The Smile of the Child Has Supported 2,445,004 Children and Families and Handled 5,612,233 Calls

31 Years After Andreas' Diary, His Favourite Actor and Friend, Spyros Papadopoulos, Reads Him a Letter Reflecting on Everything Achieved in His Name

Focusing on three critical issues affecting children's lives and safety, The Smile of the Child held a special event on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, at the Athens Conservatoire, marking 30+1 years of continuous action. The event was hosted and moderated by journalist Zina Koutselini.

The event centred on Artificial Intelligence, Family and Violence, featuring the presentation of a nationwide survey conducted by Focus Bari, followed by three thematic discussions bringing together distinguished academics, the Organisation's professionals and young members of its Children's Rights Group.

The survey was presented by Xenia Kourtoglou, Founder of Focus Bari and Resilience Expert, highlighting the perceptions and concerns of Greek society regarding issues that directly affect children's everyday lives.

Nationwide Focus Bari Survey: Findings That Raise Concerns

Artificial Intelligence

• 58% believe that a child may feel more comfortable talking to an Artificial Intelligence tool than to an adult.
• 84% are concerned about children seeking emotional support from chatbots.
• 80% are concerned about children placing unquestioning trust in AI-generated responses.
• 84% believe that structured education on the use of Artificial Intelligence is essential for children.

Family

• 48% still believe that "a little fear of one's parents" is necessary for a child to learn respect.
• 83% acknowledge that exhaustion and lack of time make it difficult for parents to establish and consistently enforce rules.
• 88% point out that the cost of meeting a child's needs places a significant financial burden on the family budget.

Violence

• 85% believe that children often do not tell their parents they are being bullied because of fear or shame.
• 48% doubt that the relevant authorities and organisations would provide meaningful assistance in cases of violence against children.

Three Thematic Discussions Putting Children First

The survey findings provided the starting point for three discussions exploring contemporary challenges and highlighting the urgent need for effective prevention, awareness and protection.

• Artificial Intelligence: The discussion featured Panagiotis Anastasiadis, Professor of Lifelong and Distance Learning at the Department of Primary Education of the University of Crete; Ioanna Gkika, Coordinator of the Centre for Online Safety and Psychologist at The Smile of the Child; Dora Thanopoulou, Coordinator of the Organisation's Education and Training Academy, "Smile Academy"; and Natalia Charalampopoulou, a student and member of the Children's Rights Group.
• Family: Participants included George Chrousos, Professor and Chair of the Department of Paediatrics at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Penelope Arvaniti, Social Worker at the Organisation's Support Centre for Vulnerable Children, Families and Young People; and Melina Pappa, a student and member of the Children's Rights Group.
• Violence: The discussion brought together Yannis Panousis, Professor of Criminology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Ioanna Chardaloupa, Coordinator of the Centre for Violence and Bullying and Psychologist at The Smile of the Child; Stavroula Spyropoulou, Coordinator of the National Centre for Child Abuse and Exploitation and the Organisation's Help and Support Helplines; and Phaedra Koutroumpa, a student and member of the Children's Rights Group.

A common conclusion emerged from all three discussions: protecting children requires collective responsibility, meaningful communication and concrete action to address their needs.

A Moving Tribute to Andreas

One of the most emotional moments of the event was the participation of actor Spyros Papadopoulos, the favourite actor of Andreas Giannopoulos, the 10-year-old founder of The Smile of the Child.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kostas Giannopoulos, presented him with the "Andreas Giannopoulos Award" in recognition of his contribution to the Organisation's journey.

The event also featured a special video in which Spyros Papadopoulos reads a personal letter to Andreas, recalling their meeting and the young boy's dream of establishing an organisation that would bring a smile to every child's face.

Thirty-one years later, the letter serves as a moving reflection on everything that has been achieved in Andreas' name, while also reminding us of everything that still needs to be done.

30+1 Years Standing by Every Child

Throughout its 30+1 years of action, The Smile of the Child has provided free support to 2,445,004 children and families across Greece and handled 5,612,233 calls, remaining committed, every single day, to standing by every child in need.

The Organisation's international presence and cooperation were highlighted through recorded messages from Phillip Slee, Professor of Human Development at Flinders University, and Philip Jaffé, President of the international organisation Child Helpline International. Watch the messages here

The event concluded with a performance by the Spyros Lambrou Children's Choir.

The Smile of the Child Extends Its Heartfelt Thanks To:

QUEST Group, the event's main sponsor, as well as its invaluable supporters (listed alphabetically):

360, AKZOT ART Photography, Coca-Cola 3E, EVENTORA, Focus Bari, POLICHROMO, DEIPNOSOFISTIRIO and BAXEVANIDIS.

Watch the full event:

https://www.youtube.com/live/k9ZlWGrMjb8?si=OeoainucpTez2lnu

Read the Focus Bari survey:

View the full survey findings