© UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
“The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.”
Article 16, paragraph 3, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is pleased to announce ahead of World Children’s Day the 28th Annual National Student Contest in Greece for the 2024-2025 school year. This year’s theme, “Family Means Together”, aligns with UNHCR’s global “Hope Away from Home” campaign.
Today, almost 123 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes due to escalating conflicts, violence and human rights violations. Many are violently separated from their families. They may spend years without seeing each other, or even never reunite.
Family separation affects the mental health of refugees, complicating their efforts to adapt and integrate into the host society. In addition, in the absence of safe alternatives, it may push family members who stayed behind to risk their lives by following dangerous routes to reunite with their loved one. States have a responsibility to protect and restore the family life of refugees, including through family reunification processes.
UNHCR, together with its partners, helps to ensure the fundamental right to family unity, supports separated refugee families and strengthens their access to reunification processes.
The UNHCR Student Contest invites primary and secondary school students, across Greece, to reflect on what family means to them. Through sketches, posters or postcards, students can express their ideas on family unity and address messages to separated refugee families or decision-makers. Where do people find comfort in their hardest times? How could children’s fundamental need for belonging be better protected? How would it feel to be forced to leave your homeland and family behind? What changes would students ask to those who have the power to bring families together? What message would they like to share with separated refugee families who wait for years to reunite with their loved ones?
Students may work individually or in groups and submit their entries by 28 February 2025, through this webpage: https://www.unhcr.org/gr/student-contest-2024.
Α special committee will review all entries based on their originality and creativity and will award two entries per school level (Kindergarten, Primary school, Junior High School, High School). The committee consists of representatives from the Greek Council for Refugees, the Hellenic Theatre/Drama and Education Network, the Network for Children’s Rights, UNRIC – the UN Regional Information Centre (Office for Greece), Athens Comics Library and UNHCR. In addition, Popi Kyrdi, teacher and head of the Cultural Programmes at the Primary Education Directorate of A’ Athens and Naemi Solomon, a young refugee whose family was reunited in Greece after a long struggle, will take part in the evaluation process.
Awarded students will receive commemorative gifts from UNHCR, including canvas bags and T-shirts from the exclusive collection resulting from UNHCR’s global “Youth with Refugees” art contest with the theme “Hope Away From Home”. All participants will also receive digital commemorative diplomas for their participation in the Contest.
For detailed information about the rules and conditions of participation in the Contest, please visit: www.unhcr.org/gr/student-contest-2024.
A few words about UNHCR’s Hope Away From Home Campaign
“Hope Away from Home” is a global UNHCR campaign calling for renewed solidarity and firm commitments from states to uphold the rights of people seeking safety from war, violence and persecution. Granting access to asylum, family reunification, access to employment and education are all ways states can show people fleeing war, violence, and persecution that there is hope away from home.
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