Tag: Voluntarism

Greek volunteers awarded top UN humanitarian honour for efforts with migrants and refugees

A Greek human rights activist and a Greek volunteer rescue team – Efi Latsoudi and the Hellenic Rescue Team (HRT) – have been jointly awarded this year’s Nansen Refugee Award for their efforts to aid refugees arriving in Greece during 2015.

“Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict and persecution last year made the desperate bid to reach Europe in search of safety, many risking their lives in unseaworthy boats and dinghies, in a journey which all too often proved insurmountable,” the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said in a news release on the win.

“Both the Hellenic Rescue Team and Efi Latsoudi refused to stand by as they witnessed the dramatic humanitarian situation unfolding on their shores, and are fully deserving of the Nansen Refugee Award,” Mr. Grandi added. “Their efforts characterize the massive public response to the refugee and migrant emergency in Greece and across Europe, in which thousands of people stood in solidarity with those forced to flee, and the humanity and generosity of communities around the world who open their hearts and homes to refugees.”

According to a news release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), since 2007, Greece has been challenged by the arrival of a large number of refugees and migrants, but in 2015 sea arrivals escalated to an emergency. On the island of Lesvos alone, numbers topped 500,000 last year. In October 2015, arrivals peaked at more than 10,000 per day, as conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq continued to uproot people from their homes.

“For many refugees, the heroic humanitarian efforts of Greek volunteers in 2015 went well beyond pulling survivors from the seas, they helped them to take the first steps towards a normal life,” UNHCR noted in a news release.

“During 2015 the HRT conducted round-the-clock operations to save refugees and migrants in distress at sea and Latsoudi showed compassion and care for the most vulnerable refugees arriving on the island of Lesvos through her work at PIKPA village,” the UN agency added.

The Nansen Refugee Award recognises outstanding service to the cause of refugees and displaced people, and was first handed out in 1954 – Eleanor Roosevelt was its first recipient and other awardees since then include former refugee Hawa Aden Mohamed of Somalia and Sister Angélique Namaika of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is named after Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as the first High Commissioner for Refugees at the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations.

(www.un.org)

September 8, 2016
Greek association Agkalia awarded 2016 Raoul Wallenberg Prize of the Council of Europe

The jury of the Council of Europe Raoul Wallenberg Prize has awarded the 2016 Prize to Agkalia, a Greek association acting on the island of Lesvos, for its outstanding achievements in providing frontline assistance to thousands of refugees irrespective of their origin and religion.

As the Greek island of Lesvos has become a European gateway for refugees, Agkalia has been providing temporary shelter, food, water and medical aid to people in need, assisting some 17.000 refugees and migrants since May 2015. Agkalia’s activities furthermore promote tolerance through awareness-raising, fighting against racism and discrimination of any kind.

Founded by Father Efstratios (“Papa-Stratis”), who passed away in September 2015, Agkalia has continued to gain steady support as its devoted associates pursue the Father’s endeavour.

“As a small and flexible local organisation based on volunteers, Agkalia sets a leading example of effective action by European civil society on a burning global issue”, stated Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, announcing the jury’s decision. “Agkalia’s activities reflect the fundamental values of the Council of Europe and contribute to its combat for human rights in Europe and beyond,” he added.

The award ceremony of the prize, which amounts to 10.000 euros, has taken place on 13 January 2016 at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg.

(www.coe.int)

January 27, 2016
Greek NGO Agalia awarded Raoul Wallenberg Prize for ‘outstanding’ work with refugees

The jury of the Council of Europe awarded the 2016 Raoul Wallenberg Prize to Agalia, a Greek NGO operating on the island of Lesvos, for “outstanding achievements in providing frontline assistance to thousands of refugees irrespective of their origin and religion,” the European body announced last week.

The jury notes that Lesvos has become a European gateway for refugees and hails the exemplary work of Agalia, saying it has been providing temporary shelter, food, water and medical aid to people in need, assisting some 17,000 refugees and migrants since May 2015. Through its work to assist refugees, Agalia also promotes tolerance and human rights, the jury adds.

Founded by Father Efstratios (known “Papa-Stratis”), who passed away in September 2015, Agalia has continued to gain steady support as its devoted associates pursue the Father’s endeavor.

“As a small and flexible local organization based on volunteers, Agalia sets a leading example of effective action by European civil society on a burning global issue,” stated Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland, announcing the jury’s decision. “Agalia’s activities reflect the fundamental values of the Council of Europe and contribute to its work to promote and protect human rights in Europe and beyond,” he added.

The award ceremony of the 10,000-euro prize takes place on January 13, 2016, at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg.

The Council of Europe Raoul Wallenberg Prize was established in 2012 at the initiative of the Swedish Government and the Hungarian Parliament. The first prize, which is biennial, was awarded in January 2014 to Elmas Arus, Turkish film director of Roma origin.

(www.ekathimerini.com)

January 27, 2016
Greek islanders to be nominated for Nobel peace prize

Greek islanders who have been on the frontline of the refugee crisis are to be nominated for the Nobel peace prize with the support of their national government.

Of the 900,000 refugees who entered Europe last year most were received –scared, soaked and travelling in rickety boats – by those who live on the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea.

The islanders, including fishermen who gave up their work to rescue people from the sea, are in line to be honoured with one of the world’s most esteemed awards. Eminent academics from the universities of Oxford, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell and Copenhagen are drafting a submission in favour of awarding the prize to the people of Lesbos, Kos, Chíos, Samos, Rhodes and Leros.

The nomination deadline is 1 February, but those behind the plan have already met the Greek minister for migration, Yiannis Mouzalas, who they say has offered his government’s full support. A petition on the website of the grassroots campaign group, Avaaz, in favour of the nomination has amassed 280,000 signatures. According to the petition: “On remote Greek islands, grandmothers have sung terrified little babies to sleep, while teachers, pensioners and students have spent months offering food, shelter, clothing and comfort to refugees who have risked their lives to flee war and terror.”

While the official nomination letter is yet to be finalised, it is understood the academics, whose identities will be revealed in the coming days, will implore the Nobel committee members to accept their nomination.

They will say that it must be noted that a people of a country already dealing with its own economic crisis responded to the unfolding tragedy of the refugee crisis with “empathy and self-sacrifice”, opening their homes to the dispossessed, risking their lives to save others and taking care of the sick and injured.

In December, the image of Antonis Deligiorgis, a 34-year-old Greek army sergeant, rescuing an Eritrean refugee from the turbulent waters off Rhodes, was singled out as a striking illustration of the valour of those in the islands.

Only individuals or organisations are eligible to win the prize so it is likely that the “solidarity networks” on the islands – groups of volunteers who organised to help the refugees – or individuals within groups will be the official nominees. A precedent was set in 1976 when Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan won the prize for their efforts in seeking peace in Northern Ireland. It was seen as a reward for all those who sought reconciliation during the most troubled years.

The volunteer networks on the Greek islands have provided accommodation, hygiene packs, food, dry clothes and help with the next steps for refugees. However, it is claimed that the instincts of the majority of islanders set the tone across Europe towards the refugees’ plight.

Spyro Limneos, an activist in Greece for Avaaz who distributed aid on the islands, said: “The people involved in the solidarity networks organised and helped the desperate when the governments weren’t even willing to recognise that the there was a crisis.

“By opening their hearts the islanders sent a powerful message that humanity is above races, above nations.

“I will never forget seeing young girls being rescued from a boat on Leros. They were smiling. They didn’t have suitcases or any possessions except their end-of-year school certificates written in Arabic. They laid those down in the sun to dry out. It was a combination of tragedy and hope.”

One of the organisers of the Solidarity Networks, Matina Katsiveli, 61, a retired judge who lives on Leros, welcomed the move but said there was “reward enough in the smiles of the people we help”.

(www.theguardian.com)

January 27, 2016