A Closer Look at METADRASI: “We are fulfilling the dream of many children, through Athens Open Schools"

Metadrasi is a Greek nonprofit organization that specializes in the fields of interpretation and intercultural mediation, as well as protecting of the rights of unaccompanied refugee and migrant minors. It is one of 150 organizations that offer more than 500 different activities to the neighborhoods of Athens, through the Athens Partnership’s Open Schools program. Metadrasi hosts language classes in Greek, English and German, as well as mathematics, for children aged 6-18 . The program targets refugees, migrants, and Greek children, supplementing learning gaps with the aim of enabling children to succeed in public school.

To learn more, we spoke with Nikoleta Dimitrouka, Head of Training for Athens and Thessaloniki:

What was the motivation to design and implement this activity?

The main motivation came from Metadrasis’ ambition to help prepare children (refugees, migrants, and Greek natives)for  better integration into formal education and into the school community as a whole.

Partnering with Open Schools, we have been given the opportunity to implement an educational program that fulfills the dream of many children: their integration into formal school education.

How is the integration of children into school and society promoted?

Conducting our lessons in an actual school environment best prepares children for the transition to  to morning school. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for many to leave refugee and migrant camps and visit other parts of Athens.

The large participation of both Greeks and refugees in the program shows that there is a willingness for interaction between the two groups. It is very encouraging that we see a strong desire for all children, regardless of their origin, to play together in the courtyard before, during and after the lessons.

The issue of refugees is a sensitive one. How do the neighborhoods of Athens react to your efforts?

The neighborhoods generally embrace the program, but the degree differs depending on the familiarity of these issues with each neighborhood.

What are your future plans for the program?

Despite the financial difficulties we face, the great success of this activity makes us want to continue in our efforts. With the invaluable help of volunteers, we hope to continue supporting all of our students,who are making tremendous effort to better develop their knowledge and skills.

To support these children through Open Schools and other AP public programs, please donate now.

Athens Partnership Shares Maker Learning Culture with Europe’s Digital Chiefs

The digital leaders of nine European cities created miniature encryption machines during an afternoon workshop this month at the Athens Municipal Maker Space, at a meeting convened by the Athens Chief Digital Officer.

The workshop was a central part of the European chapter of the Global City Chief Information Officers (CGCC) quarterly meeting and hosted by Athens CDO Konstantinos Champidis. It included representatives from Barcelona, the Hague, Helsinki, London, Milan, Tallinn, Vienna and Zurich. The challenge was aimed at building collaboration and problem-solving skills, while showcasing the value of the fab lab’s state-of-the-art technology.

European city digital leaders teamed up with the Athens Maker Space team to design, program and assemble the Eureka Box, drawing inspiration from the Enigma Machine which led to the development of the first electronic computer during World War II.

“We are trying to get digitalization, creation, innovation into the public school system and we are looking at different ways to do this,” said Marijn Franje, CIO of the Hague and founder of the European chapter of the CGCC. “I think this is a very interesting model to bring back home and try to copy it.”

Athens CDO and meeting host, Konstantinos Champidis (right) discusses with TUC-TIE Lab Director Konstantinos Oungrinis (center), Athens Partnership Executive Director Alexandros Kambouroglou (left) how a multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach can enhance problem solving abilities.

The Maker Space, the first municipal space of its kind in Greece, is part of the Designed for Better Learning program, which has transformed the environment and educational experience in five percent of Athens public schools. The program employs participatory design, involving architects working hand-in-hand with students, teachers and parents.

Testing the gears of the Eureka Box.

“Meeting here has been an opportunity for Athens to showcase its amazing journey of digital transformation over the last 3 years, and I was really impressed coming to the Maker Space to see what a world-class facility has been created and how open it is to the public,” said Theo Blackwell, London Chief Digital Officer.

Clockwise from right: TUC-TIE Lab Director Konstantinos Oungrinis, Theo Blackwell, London CDO, and Marijn Franje, CIOr of the Hague

Launched by the Athens Partnership and run in partnership with the Technical University of Crete’s Transformable Intelligent Environments Lab, the Maker Space brings applied technology and design thinking to public school education. To date it has impacted the lives of 7,400 children and introduced innovative, interdisciplinary techniques to 167 teachers. The Maker Space was first launched in 2016 with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and is now funded through the City’s budget. It is also included in the City’s 2018 Digital Roadmap, a blueprint guiding Athens’ digital strategy and aim to become a premiere digital city.

Michael Hagler, representing the City of Vienna, works with Dionysia Daskalaki from the Maker Space team to assemble the box's circuits.

“Cities offer services and now technology is part of the public services delivered in Athens,” said Akis Georgakopoulos, a production and management engineer and member of the research team at the Maker Space. “Maker culture debunked the idea that technology is this exclusive thing some people use. Through this program we have opened tech up and made its use and application accessible to everyone.”

Athens City council ratifies ACCMR proposals for effective refugee response

The City of Athens recently took a major step in enhancing its support for refugees and migrants, by ratifying the Strategic Action Plan for the integration of migrants and refugees, as well as the Preparedness and Response Mechanism for the management of potential refugee crises. Both plans were developed by the Athens Coordination Center for Migrants and Refugee issues (ACCMR), which brings together 92 member organizations. The ACCMR’s operation was designed and coordinated by the Athens Partnership, with a founding grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

The Strategic Action Plan and Preparedness Mechanism, mean the City of Athens has two tools at its disposal that will enable it to assume a more active role in the monitoring and management of migrant and refugee-related issues within its geographical boundaries. At the same time, the City is consulting with other European cities on integration issues, exchanging information and best-practices.

The Mayor of Athens, Mr. Georgios Kaminis, stressed that, "since 2015, when the refugee crisis broke out, the City of Athens assumed a proactive role, taking on the responsibility of implementing a comprehensive refugee management plan to safeguard human rights and protect social cohesion and the smooth operation of the city. Today, we are again assuming a leadership role. In cooperation with the Hellenic Statistical Authority and EUROSTAT, we will use all available tools to promote social integration, while at the same time we will build on the Cities Network for Integration, which is currently joined by 13 municipalities from all over the country. "

The Deputy Mayor for Migrant and Refugee issues, Mr. Lefteris Papayannakis, stated that, “through concerted efforts and synergies with many private and public bodies, the City of Athens can assume a key role in supporting and strengthening activities that promote integration. The Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues can play a central coordinating role in this effort."

The Strategic Action Plan sets out a clear framework with specific objectives that will strengthen the role of the Municipality and link its services to civil society. The plan will serve as a guide to strengthening services within the city as well as provide better information on services offered through existing online platforms. The creation of the plan was based on extensive mapping of services within the Municipality and extensive consultation with representatives from civil society and international organizations, to identify challenges and develop policies based on identified needs. Contributions from ACCMR  have been key to this effort.

In addition to integration planning, the guide to a Preparedness Mechanism for effective response to future refugee crises in the Municipality, codifies a preparatory actions and systems so that the Municipality’s administrative and operational arms can respond successfully to future events. The guide was developed with the financial support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and technical support from the International Rescue Committee. UNHCR also provided important advisory support.

Athens Partnership presenting at the Delphi Economic Forum

The Athens Partnership will be joining the Delphi Economic Forum, February 28 - March 3, 2019. The Forum brings together political, business, academic, and other leaders in an effort to address current challenges, influence national agendas and promote sustainable and socially responsible growth in Europe, Greece and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. 

AP Executive Director Alexandros Kambouroglou will join the Saturday March 2, 10.45AM panel on “The New Role of Cities in Global Issues”, chaired by Bloomberg Associates CEO George Fertitta, at Leto Hall, along with distinguished speakers, including Athens Mayor Georgios Kaminis, Open Society Foundations Senior Program Officer Manos Moschopoulos, and Microsoft Greece, Cyprus and Malta CEO Peggy Antonakou.

The panel will highlight public-private initiatives of the Athens Partnership, presenting some of our innovative programs tackling urban challenges in collaboration with local government. Elina Dallas, Athens Trigono program manager and Konstantinos Champidis, Athens’ Chief Digital Officer, will share insights on some of our cross-sector projects on urban regeneration and the digital transformation of the city, which are now serving as models for other municipalities.

Watch the live stream of the discussion at Leto Hall, on Saturday 10.45 am.

The City of Athens takes steps to ensure public supply chains are free from human trafficking

Mayor Georgios Kaminis convened international experts in Athens for a two-day regional conference focused on the prevention of trafficking in human beings in supply chains through government procurement practices and measures, especially in the Balkan region. During the conference, the Mayor announced plans for a new pilot program to develop policies and implement practices aimed at ensuring that the City of Athens does not, to the fullest extent possible, purchase goods manufactured or contract services provided by victims of human trafficking.

Mayor Kaminis (middle), with Valiant Richey, OSCE Acting Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (left) and Alexandros Kambouroglou, Executive Director of the Athens Partnership (right).

The regional conference is part of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) project on Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings in Supply Chains through Government Practices and Measures. The Athens conference is organized by the OSCE in partnership with the Mayor’s Office, the Office of the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ONR), the Athens Partnership and Bloomberg Associates.

The Mayor of Athens, George Kaminis, greeting the opening of the conference, said: "The City of Athens, at the forefront of Europe, seeks to be the first municipality in the country to take a stand and shield its procurement system against companies and products that do not respect anti-trafficking principles."

The Regional conference brought together experts in the field of combating trafficking in human beings, public procurement, labour regulations, transparency and corporate social responsibility from 15 countries.

The City of Athens targets a pioneering role in implementing slavery-free policies at the city level, providing an example for other national, regional and local authorities to follow. The conference marks the announcement of a pilot program through which the City seeks to develop a detailed action plan that involves input from stakeholders such as procurement experts, suppliers and law enforcement and includes concrete steps such as grievance mechanisms, capacity building, mapping of suppliers, and risk assessment and management. Expert support for the program will be provided by the ONR.

“Governments have a crucial part to play in working towards a supply chain that is free of human trafficking and forced labour – and not just at the national level. We see with the City of Athens’ pilot program a tremendous leadership role by a municipal government in this fight, and it is an example that we want to replicate throughout other cities in Greece,” said Heracles Moskoff, National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings.

Heracles Moskoff, National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings, Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The conference gathered attendees and speakers from 15 countries, including representatives of city, regional, and national governments; and professionals from international and non-governmental organizations focused on combating forced labour and trafficking.  

Valiant Richey, OSCE Acting Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, noted the importance of the Conference’s cross-sectoral group of stakeholders, including attorneys who have worked with trafficking victims, procurement and anti-trafficking officials, multi-national companies, and NGOs. “By bringing together all of the stakeholders who can play a role in developing important government anti-trafficking measures, we can ensure that our efforts can have a significant – and sustainable – impact, in Athens, Greece, the Balkans region, and beyond” Mr. Richey said.

Rose Gill Hearn, former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation during the Bloomberg Administration and Principal of the Municipal Integrity Practice at Bloomberg Associates, an international philanthropic consultancy and a co-organizer of the conference, said, “The City of Athens, through its anti-trafficking public procurement pilot program, is demonstrating its commitment to working against the scourge of labour exploitation in supply chains. We applaud Mayor Kaminis for supporting this conference and initiative to analyse how cities can use their buying power – collectively billions of euro – to safeguard against tainted procurement.”

Rose Gill Hearn, Principal of the Municipal Integrity Practice at Bloomberg Associates

Alexandros Kambouroglou, Executive Director of the Athens Partnership, a non-profit specializing in philanthropic public-private partnerships, coordinating the City of Athens’ new pilot program, said:

“The complex issue of human trafficking in public supply chains can only be addressed when political initiatives are supported and strengthened by private sector collaboration and know-how”.

The second day of the conference featured in-depth sessions on the recommendations of the OSCE’s Model Guidelines on Government Measures to Prevent Trafficking for Labour Exploitation in Supply Chains. Speakers discussed action that governments can undertake to prevent trafficking in supply chains, such as identifying industry-specific trafficking risks, training public procurement officials and vendors, implementing anti-trafficking due diligence in the procurement process, and developing monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

For materials related to the Conference, including the presentations from speakers on both days of the event, please see here.