Anniek Gavriilakis

Speaker
Dutch
Photo of Anniek Gavriilakis

Who is Anniek Gavriilakis?

Anniek is director at Bond Zonder Naam and is dedicated to humanitarianism. She is courageously helping to create a society in which everyone is valued. During her keynote, Anniek adopts a surprising and out-of-the-box approach that allows you and your organisation to examine yourself as a person, your role in the organisation and your company's responsibility towards society. All revenue from this keynote will be given to social projects for people who are on the outskirts of our society.

“Stubborn in her humanitarianism.” That is how she is described by artist Koen Vanmechelen. “She makes no concessions when it comes to humanitarianism. The world should not be too quick to judge people. They are more than their crime, their setback or their missing papers. And so she calls for us to take a deeper look, and spend more time listening, before we judge others.”

How would you describe human connections within your organisation?

Current affairs

There are over 10,000 prisoners in Flanders. 98% of them will be released one day. The question is, how do we - as a society - want them to be released: as ticking time bombs or as a better version of themselves? Society doesn’t stop at the prison gate. It would be in everyone's interest - also that of victims - if detention were meaningful; this would help to improve safety.

Figures for repeat offences are currently sky high. We think that brick walls alone can resolve the problem. But walls between people rarely resolve issues, and normally only make them worse. Society doesn’t stop at the gate of a prison or detention centre; in fact, it simply continues inside. Therefore, people on the outside should have the courage to learn more about life inside, and to connect with it. Not in order to support perpetrators, or excuse their actions. And certainly not to upset the victims. But based on the realisation that, when you come into contact with those we have incarcerated, you also come into contact with an integral part of who you are. As humans and as a society.

Anniek's words reflect her life: full of passion. Her quest for balance and beauty has been translated into an emotional, motivated but also sensitive and vulnerable story. She has a refreshing and open view of people who live below the radar of society and doesn’t shy away from any taboos.

Krist Pauwels
Partner at Choco
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Photo of Anniek Gavriilakis

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