Cities, local authorities and municipalities play a central role in supporting and welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and helping them access services, education and employment opportunities.
UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has praised mayors in 10 cities, towns and islands across Greece for adding their support to a global statement of solidarity and inclusiveness for families forced to flee. The statement is part of UNHCR’s ongoing Cities #WithRefugees initiative and has now been signed by more than 250 cities worldwide.
Cities, local authorities and municipalities play a central role in supporting and welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and helping them access services, education and employment opportunities.
These gestures of solidarity with refugees from communities across Greece are very meaningful as UNHCR works to help the Greek government and local authorities to integrate refugees and better assist asylum seekers.
Visiting cities in Thessaly today, UNHCR Representative in Greece, Philippe Leclerc, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to continue its close cooperation with municipalities and local communities across the country.
Ιn Larissa Leclerc met with the Mayor Apostolos Kalogiannis, with whom he co-signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to further promote joint actions to the benefit of asylum seekers, refugees and the host community. During his visit to Karditsa, Leclerc met with the Mayor of Karditsa, Vasileios Tsiakos, and a respective Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the city and UNHCR. Leclerc also discussed with refugees who have rebuilt their lives in Karditsa after fleeing conflict zones and who now volunteer sewing masks to help protect the community from COVID-19 and have also helped locals respond to the recent catastrophic floods.
Greek cities co-signing the Cities #WithRefugees statement include Athens, Heraklion, Ioannina, Larissa, Livadia, Malevizi, Neapoli – Sykies, Thessaloniki, Tilos and Trikala, and are open to demonstrate their solidarity with refugees.
“The cities in Greece that have joined this global statement of solidarity with refugees are generous and active supporters of the dignified reception and integration of refugees in local societies, including through the implementation of the ESTIA programme,” said Philippe Leclerc.
The mayor of Larissa, Apostolos Kalogiannis, who has endorsed the Cities #WithRefugees statement, welcomed today’s opportunity to strengthen the city’s cooperation with UNHCR through a Memorandum of Cooperation.
“The Municipality of Larissa has been dealing with the issue of refugees, which is both a national and European one, with a strong sense of responsibility. We have developed a sincere and constructive cooperation with UNHCR and we will continue exploring solutions together,” Mayor Kalogiannis said.
Across Greece, cities and towns offer safety and shelter to forcibly displaced and can enable access to services, education and job opportunities. UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report, shows that the majority of refugees and internally displaced people continue to live in urban areas.
“I would like to thank these mayors, local authorities and the cities’ residents who are standing in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers,” Leclerc said. “We look to them to uphold these values and continue this important work.”
Υou may find the full list of the Greek cities that have co-signed so far the Cities #WithRefugees solidarity statement here.
Υοu may watch a video about refugees sewing Covid-19 protective masks in Thessaly here:
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