NIKI GOULANDRIS, artist

Please click on the images to view them in bigger size. Copyright art and photos © 2002 Niki Goulandris

BIOGRAPHY

Niki Goulandris is a well-known personality in the field of culture. Her message combines ecological principles with cultural values and she has contributed significantly in nature conservation while also promoting man's cultural achievements.

She strongly believes that the hope for the future lies in the interplay between biological and cultural processes, which would add new dimension to the understanding of human situations.

From a very early age her life has been dedicated to learning, to the generation of new ideas and scientific thought. Supported in all her endeavours, both spiritually and morally, by her husband Angelos Goulandris, she maintained her independent spirit and inquiring mind. Her strong conviction was that the world needed a new code of values for the future if a proper equilibrium between man and society was to be achieved.

Her beliefs have been successfully put to practice as reflected in her career and accomplishments:

1964- Co-founder with her husband Angelos and Vice-President of the Goulandris Natural History Museum which is an important centre for environmental research and education.

1974-75 Deputy Minister for Social Services. One of her responsibilities was the care of the 200.000 refugees in Cyprus.

1975-81 Deputy President of the Hellenic Radio and Television.

1989-91 Deputy President of the National Tourism Organization of Greece.

1980 - President of the Save the Children Association in Greece.

1992-95 Appointed on the board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre of Canada. (IDRC), for a three years term.

1992- Chairman of the Board of the Greek Biotope/Wetland Centre (a joint venture between EEC and Greece for the conservation of the Mediterranean ecosystem).

1992 Member of the Greek Delegation to the Rio Conference.

1993-96 Member of the 12-member U.N. Commission for Culture and Development under the chairmanship of Mr. Perez de Cuellar.

1996- President of the Goulandris Natural History Museum.

Niki Goulandris is travelling world-wide visiting natural reserves as well as threatened ecosystems under different cultural conditions in the North and the South. Invited to lecture in Universities and other institutions, mass media, women's organizations, etc. she has spent the past 15 years leading the campaign to promote cultural values linking nature, man and society.

Awards & nominations:

Niki Goulandris has received international recognition and various awards and nominations for her achievements:

- Honorary doctorate by the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki.

- Award of the Academy of Athens.

- Member of the British Linnean Academy.

- Member of the the United Nations Roll of Honours "Global 500".

- Onassis Price "Delfi" for "Man and the Environment" on behalf of the Goulandris Natural History Museum.

- Elected "Woman of Europe" 1991 by the European Community Commission.

- Nominated for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations in 1992.

- Recipient of the "Legion d'Honneur" (officier).

- Nominated as an honouree in UNEP's 25th anniversary: "Eyes on the Environment -25 Women Leaders in Action" 1997.

Higher Education:

1946-1951 Law, Political Sciences and Economy, Athens University.(MA)

Post Graduate Studies:

1953-54 Frankfurt a.M. Germany Political Science and Philosophy

1956-57 Frankfurt a.M. Germany Political Science and Philosophy

1963-64 Botanical Studies at the University of Athens

1964 Training in the management of the Edinburgh Botanic Garden and its collections

Languages: Fluent in French, English, German.

Niki Goulandris has a parallel career in botanical illustration. She is a well- known botanical painter, having painted about 800 Greek indigenous plants, many of which have been printed.

Publications:

Wild Flowers of Greece; by C. Goulimis, Sir George Taylor and W. T. Stearn, containing 135 full page botanical illustrations by Niki Goulandris.

Peonies of Greece; a folio publication containing 12 life-size, illustrations of Paeonia species, collected in Greece.

Her botanical paintings dedicated to the preservation of the Greek flora are illustrating porcelain of Limoges and Royal Copenhagen and silk scarves for Hermes.