Refugee Week Greece – “Our Home”

Refugee Week Greece returns for its third year to celebrate the resilience, diversity and creativity of individuals who have experienced forced displacement, coinciding with World Refugee Day on June 20th.

 Through a week-long program of diverse events and workshops, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by displaced individuals and highlight their positive impact.

“To me, a home is where you feel loved, safe, and cherished.”- Malala Yousafzai

Finding a home today presents a significant challenge for displaced communities. Recognising the importance of a home for all—both new arrivals and long-time residents of our cities—is essential. We understand the difficulties many face in securing a safe place to live, and this awareness drives our commitment to address this pressing issue.

Refugee Week 2024 embraces the theme of “Our Home,” inviting everyone to reflect on the essence of home, from the communal spaces where we share meals to our shared planet, Earth. Together, let’s strive to ensure that everyone has access to a safe and sustainable home. Through collective effort and solidarity, we can build a better future for everyone.

This year, we are encouraging everyone to make events plastic-free, and pledge support for a plastic-free Refugee Week Greece. We are providing a Plastic Free Guide and tips to help organisers and attendees plan accordingly and support our sustainable initiative.

Refugee Week Greece aims to foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders to promote a positive message for refugees and migrants, inspiring collective action toward more inclusive societies. Community activities in integrated spaces provide opportunities to learn new skills, enhance confidence, and find fulfilment through projects that benefit society.

Refugee Week Greece 2024 will feature various events & activities, with highlights including:

• Friday June 14, Launch Event in Athens – Screening “The Swimmers”
• Saturday June 15 & Sunday June 16, Official Opening: “2nd Multicultural Festival: Tastes & Melodies of the World, in Heraklion”, Crete, as the honoured city of this year’s festival, in collaboration with the Municipality of Heraklion – Council for the Integration of Immigrants & Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) – “HELIOS” Programme and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
• Monday June 17, Pixida Films Launch Screening Event ‘Crossings’ in Athens
• Wednesday June 19, “Together in Sport – Together in Taekwondo”, METAdrasi & Hellenic Olympic Committee (“Together in Sport – Phase II Project”), Panathenaic Stadium, METAdrasi, Hellenic Olympic Committee, Hellenic Taekwondo Federation, Olympic Museum, UNHCR
• Thursday June 20, Community Event “Our home, our neighbourhood”, Ampelokipoi Park, Athens Coordination Centre for Migrant & Refugee issues (ACCMR)

Refugee Week is a global movement with festivals taking place in the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Malta, Taiwan, Republic of Ireland, South Africa and many more (17 countries in total)

The Festival is co-organised and co-produced by Counterpoints Greece and We are Community and is implemented under the Auspices of the City of Athens, supported by OPANDA and the Master’s Programme “Global Health – Disaster Medicine” of the School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Our work is supported by our Steering Group members organisations: Choose Love, Comicdom, Counterpoints, Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), Greek Forum of Refugees (GFR), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Melissa Network, Network for Children’s Rights, SolidarityNow, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, UNICEF and We Are Community.

We also work in partnership with the Athens Coordination Centre for Migrant and Refugee issues (ACCMR) for the design and the production of the Community Event (20th June).

We would like to thank our Youth Board of Refugee Week Greece 2024 for their dynamic energy and passion. They drive every aspect of the event, ensuring it resonates with the evolving needs of displaced youth.  We also extend a heartfelt gratitude to participating organisations for their  unwavering support and collaboration in shaping Refugee Week Greece into a dynamic and impactful cultural festival that brings communities together and amplifies the voices of those seeking refuge.

Detailed Programme of Events: https://refugeeweek.gr/

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 Participating organisations

Amurtel Hellas | Apostoli NGO | Athens Olympic Museum | Armonia Project | Athens Photowalkers | Caritas Athens | Counterpoints Arts Greece | Diversity United | EKPA, Athens Medical School-Postgraduate in Disaster Medicine and Global Health | EPAPSY | Free Movement Skateboard | Greek Forum of Migrants | Greek Forum of Refugees | Hellenic Olympic Committee | Greek Wrestling Federation | Hip Hop 4 Hope | Institut français de Grèce | Inter Alia | IOM | Ithaca | KEM- Centre of integration of migrants in the municipality of Athens | KMOP-Social Action and Innovation Centre | METAdrasi – Action for Migration and Development | Myrtillo | Network for Children’s Rights | Opanda- Paidiki Library | Opanda- Vrefiki Library | Organisation Earth | Pigi Koinsep | Pixida Films | PR.A.K.S.I.S. – Programs of Development, Social Support and medical Cooperation | Revma – A moving creative society | Rad Music International | SolidarityNow | S.m.an.- Society for the care of minors and youth | Theognis Megara | Ukrainian Women in Greece | UNHCR Greece | Velos Youth | Victoria Community Centre | We are Community | Zeuxis

 

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