GREEK FORUM OF MIGRANTS

This year, we celebrate! On the occasion of the International Migrants Day 2018, the Greek Forum of Migrants - GFM organizes "Integra Fest 2018 - Another Path to Integration". It is a four-day festival of events and actions, aiming to highlight the work of migrant communities and organizations in Greece, as well as the practices they follow for their integration into the Greek society.

INTEGRA FEST in a nutshell:
Integra Fest 2018 begins with cultural events of migrant communities and organizations / music - dance - children`s workshops - bazaar - flavors - tradition - community, on Saturday, 15 December, at Serafio (Piraeus & P. ​​Ralli) from 11:00 to 18:00, with free admission.

On Sunday 16 and Monday, December 17, there are meetings entitled "A visit brings us together", held between migrant communities and other organizations to exchange their experiences.

On the International Migrants Day, on Tuesday, 18 December 2018, Integra Fest 2018 ends with the political event organized by the GFM each year, the conference "Another Path to Integration", to be held at 4 pm at Melina Cultural Center (66 Herakleidon, Thissio).

The detailed program of Integra Fest 2018 follows:

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS - INTEGRA FEST 2018

(Α) Cultural programme – Integra Fest 2018

Saturday 15 December 2018  / SERAFEIO – Exhibition Center - City of  Athens (Piraeus & P. ​​Ralli), from 11:00 to 18:00, with free admission.

Music - Dance - Bazaar - Children`s workshops - Flavors - Tradition - Community.
The following concurrent actions will take place in the Serafio centre:

CHILDREN’S WORKSHOPS:

• 11:00 - 18:00: Creative workshops & Games from Connect Athens

• 12:00 - 14:00: Mobile Library from Network of Children’s Rights

• 13:00 - 17:00: Face Painting, Crafts & Team playing from volunteer’s team of Αnemos Ananeosis.

• 14:00 - 17:00: “Make your own Christmas ornament!” from We need books

 FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES: 11:00 - 18:00

• «Multi-cultural» Kourabiedes (traditional Christmas sweet): Come and let’s make them together! Confectionery along with the migrant communities from Egypt, Palestine, Sudan and Syria.

• Fragrances of Tea, Karkade and Authentic Ethiopian Coffee! Traditional flavors from migrant communities from Morocco, Sudan and Ethiopia.

MUSIC & DANCE: 12:00 - 18:00

12.00 Αlbanian dances,
12:30 Egyptian Dance (Gadala),
14:00 Afghanistan’s Dance,
15:00 Music and Dance from Georgia (Caucasus),
16:00 African Dance (Mandela Gals),
16:30 Chorus and dance from Ukraine,
17:00 Polyphonic songs from Albania,
17:30 African music and dance from Madagascar (Rosewood).

HANDMADE arts & crafts: 11:00 - 18:00
Migrant Communities & organizations -members of GFM, and collaborators: Afghanistan, Georgia, Zimbabwe (Click’s Collection - Victoria Square Project), Congo, Madagascar, Pakistan, Palestine, Nigerian Women, United African Women Organization.

On the site we will present the migrant communities - members of the Greek Forum of Migrants, through archival material, videos, photographs from the 15+ years of operation of the GFM, the largest network of migrant and refugee communities - organizations in Greece. Read more here

 

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(Β) MEETINGS between MIGRANT Communities & Organizations – Integra Fest 2018

Sunday & Monday, 16 - 17 December 2018 / «A visit brings us together»

• Mrs Kokkinaki and the members of Cultural Society of Kipseli visits the Ethiopian Cultural Centre “Aithiops” at Kipseli, where they will taste traditional Ethiopian coffee.

• Senegal Community is meeting with organisations: HIGGS and Sxedia.

• Members of Ukraine Community “The Land of Stork” visits the organisation “We need books” at Theatre sq. looking to join the two libraries.

• Organisation Hope Refugees FC - Football Club visits the communities of Cameroon and Congo to discuss football.

• BABEL centre visits the Kenyan Community.

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 (C) POLITICAL EVENT - Integra Fest 2018

INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY 2018  

TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2018 /
Conference - Discussion: Another Path to Integration
Cultural Centre MELINA (Irakleidon 66, Thissio), from 16:00 until 19:00.

On the International Migrants Day, Tuesday 18 December 2018, the Greek Forum of Migrants, concludes the 4-day Festival of Integra Fest 2018 with the yearly political even: The Conference - Discussion: “Another Path to Integration". It will be held at the Melina Cultural Center (66 Herakleidon, Thissio) from 16:00 to 19:00. The main purpose of the event is to kickstart a circle of discussions on the Greek Integration model, as well as how to engage migrants themselves in the design process of the Greek Integration model.

In the context of the discussion, the GFM will present it’s mapping - recording of good practices for integration, of the migrant communities - members of the GFM. Also, the role of the state and the local government in migrant’s integration issues will be discussed.

Programme of the event:

4.30 - 4.45 pm   Registration

4.45 - 5 pm  The role of Migrant Communities / Presentation of good practices of migrant communities of The Greek Forum of Migrants.

The role of the state

5.00 - 5.15 pm   Keynote speaker: Dimitris Vitsas, Minister of Migration Policy
5.15 - 5.25 pm   Speaker: Giorgos kaminis, Mayor City of Athens (to be confirmed)

Open Discussion

5.25 - 5.30 pm   Giorgos Stamatis- Secretary Secretary of Social Networks and Special Population Groups of New Democracy (ND)
5.30 - 5.35 pm   Giorgos Petalotis - Former Deputy Minister, Movement of Democratic Socialists (KINAL)

5.35 - 6.15 pm   Discussion – Τοποθετήσεις οργανώσεων from organisations and Civil Society

Coordination: Maria Stratigaki, Vice Mayor of Social Solidarity and Welfare of the Municipality of Athens

Traditional "Multi-Cultural" deserts and coffee will be served at the end of the discussion.

 

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Organisation:

Ελληνικό Φόρουμ Μεταναστών / Greek Forum of Migrants

 

With the cooperation:

• Europe Direct City of Athens

 

With the support:

• Migrant’s Integration Council - City of Athens

• OPANDA– City of Athens

 

Participation:

- Network of Children’s Rights

 

- We need books

- Connect Athens

- Ανεμος Ανανέωσης

- Γιατροί του Κόσμου 

- Victoria Square Project

 

- Member Communities & Organizations of Greek Forum of Migrants: (Association of Cameroonians of Greece, Congolese Community in Greece, Ethiopian Socio-Cultural Center "Aithiops", Ghanian Community in Greece, Union of Guinea of Greece, Kenyan Community in Greece (KCG), Union of Madagascar, Nigerian Women Organisation of Greece, Nigerian Community of Greece, Association of Senegalese of Athens, Unione of Sierra Leonese, Tanzanian Community in Greece, Zanzibar Association in Greece, African Network in Greece, United African Women Organization Greece, Afghan Migrants & Refugees Community in Greece, Bangladeshi Community of Greece, Greek Indian Cultural Company, Greek Pakistan Association of Greece, Federation of Albanian Communities in Greece, Georgian Cultural Center "Caucasus", Greek Georgian Union "Dioskouria", Hellenic Moldovans Association «ΟΡΦΕΥ», Association of Russian speaker and friends of Russia of the Municipality of Trikala, Ukrainian Community `The land of stork`, United Ukraine Union, Egyptian Community in Greece "El Rapta", Association of Moroccans in Greece, Palestinian Workers Union in Greece, Somalian Community in Greece, Greek Soudanese Frienship League, Sudanese Community, Association of Free Expats of Syria, Syrian House in Greece, Arab Association in Ambelokipi - Athens, Migrant Women Network "Dimitra", Zagel Refugee Group, LGBT Refugee Group)

We would also like to thank Western Union for their support: