International Epilepsy Day was launched with an exhibition of our epilepsy stories and photo competition at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg, France on February 2, 2016. Irish MEP Marion Harkin spoke at the event along with Dr Athanasios Covanis, IBE President and Francesca Sofia from the Federazione Italiana Epilessie.
Francesca is the Chief Scientific Officer of the FIE, but her daughter, Beatrice, also has epilepsy, a fact which she spoke about at the event.
A team of advocates spoke to MEPs throughout the day to advocate on behalf of epilepsy. Dozens of MEPs signed up to our European Advocates for Epilepsy group which aims to increase awareness of the disorder and increase research funding opportunities.
See some of the pictures from the event below.
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- Francesca Sofia, Ann Little, Dr Athanasios Covanis, Antigoni Kokkinou Kallimachou
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- Finnish MEP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri
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- Finnish MEP Merja Kyllönen
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- Finnish MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen looking at the epilepsy story of Jorn Sundtrom from Finland
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- Finnish MEP Liisa Jaakonsaari
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- Irish MEP Marion Harkin
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- German MEP Jens Gieseke with Prof. Philippe Ryvlin
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- Antigoni Kokkinou with Greek MEP Theodoris Zagorakis
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- Finnish MEP Hannu Takula
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- Swedish MEP Jytta Guteland
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- Francesca Sofia with Irish MEP Deirdre Clune
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- Irish MEP Marion Harkin speaking at the event in Strasbourg
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- Maltese MEP Mariam Dalli with Francesca Sofia & Prof Philippe Ryvlin
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- Romanian MEP Claudiu Ciprian Tȃnȃsescu with Francesca Sofia
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- Dr Astrid Nehlig, Irish MEP Seán Kelly, Francesca Sofia, Dr Athanasios Covanis, Antigoni Kokkinou Kallimachou
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- Sari Tervonen, Francesca Sofia & Antigoni Kokkinou Kallimachou
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- The EU Parliament buildings in Strabourg
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- Prof. Philippe Ryvlin & Marian-Jean Marinescu
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- Photo Competition exhibition at the EU Parliament
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- Greek MEPs Lambros Fountoulis & Eletherios Synadinos with Dr Athanasios Covanis & Antigoni Kokkinou Kallimachou
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- Photo Competition exhibition at the EU Parliament
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- Prof Philippe Ryvlin, Dr Athanasios Covanis & Antigoni Kokkinou Kallimachou with Greek MEP Dimitrios Papadimoulis
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- Francesca Sofia speaking at the event in Strasbourg
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- Dr Athanasios Covanis speaking at the event in Strasbourg
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- Dr Athanasios Covanis speaking at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg
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- Marion Harkin speaking at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg
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- IBE Executive Director Ann Little
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- Greek MEP Sofia Sakorafa with Dr Athanasios Covanis
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- EU Parliament, Strasbourg
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- British MEP Julia Reed
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- Swedish MEP Anna Hedh
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- Antigoni Kokkinou Kallimachou
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- Slovakian MEP Jana Žitňanská
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- Italian MEP Giovanni La Via with Dr Athanasios Covanis
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- Antigoni Kallimachou & Dr Athanasios Covanis with Greek MEP Kostas Chrysogonos
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- Slovenian IBE Chapter Member Tilen Jeraj
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- Dr Edouard Hirsch & Dr Astrid Nehlig with Portuguese MEP Jose Inacio Faria
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- Prof Philippe Ryvlin, Sari Tervonen with Austian MEP Paul Rübig
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- Irish MEP Seán Kelly, Ann Little