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Learning the Greek language and generally the education and training of refugees and immigrants in Greece, were the core of the meeting at the Ministry of Education on Thursday, November 14, with Migration and Organized Crime Advisor Jean Daniel Colombani and the General Secretary of Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning, Giorgos Voutsinos.

Mr Colombani expressed to the General Secretary his concern regarding the problem faced by newcomers and already settled refugees and immigrants in Greece, regarding the lack of education. He also stressed that the existing structures have been proved problematic since, according to the available data, they are not functioning properly, and the necessary actions have not been taken to inform migrants of that choice. As Mr Colombani pointed out to Mr Voutsinos, the phenomenon of reduced education creates greater problems for immigrant societies, which sometimes lead to delinquency.

During this constructive meeting, there was also an exchange of views, from both sides, on resolving such issues that are proved important for the future living of refugees and immigrants in the country.

They also renewed their appointments and agreed to frequent communication on issues related to the education and training of migrants and refugees.

From the Press Office

At the Cultural Center of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, it was held a Workshop under the auspices of UNESCO on the subject: “Seeking Ways to Coexist with Those of Different Religion”

The aim of this conference is to explore the problems, the challenges and the most possible solutions that arise from the coexistence of those of different religions; focusing on points which facilitate the coexistence of religions based on each religion’s teaching.

The structure of the Workshop was based on two axes: a) Specialists developed key points in the teaching of the three major monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, Islam – in coexistence with others, focusing mainly on tolerance, acceptance or rejection of coexistence. b) Religious officials from the main hetero-religious and heterodox active communities in our country have highlighted the problems, the challenges, the positive and the negative ones that emerge in everyday life from the coexistence of the different religions.

At the Conference they participated as speakers: Dr. Begzos Marios, Professor, “Changing the Faith: Religious Pluralism is Guilty or Non-Guilty?”, Dr Zarras Constantinos, Assistant Professor, “Children of Abraham: The Jew and the Other in an age of anxiety”, Reverend Adamantios Augoustidis, Associate Professor, “Pastoral Approach of Otherness”, Dr Marioras Michalis, Lecturer, “Seeking ways of religious coexistence: Islamic perspectives”, Dr Tsapogas Michalis, Lawyer, “Legal dimensions of the religious coexistence in Greece”, Rabbi Gabriel Negrein, “The act of peace: the course of faith towards coexistence”, Savant Imam Dr Abd Rasoul Mounir, “The foundations of inter-religious dialogue in Islam and its relation to modern reality”, The Most Reverend Chrysostomos Metropolitan of Messenia, “The principle of Tolerance and its implication in the context of religious freedom”, Father Kontidis Theodoros, “Catholics in Greece today”, Reverend Boukis Dimitrios, “I the Stranger: Fulfill the Royal Law” .”.

Moderators of the discussion: Mr. Daniel Esdras, Director of the International Organization for Migration Office (IOM) in Athens Mr. Alexandros Velios, Journalist

Greetings by: Fr Adamantios Avgoustidis, on the part of Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos, Mr. Benny Bahanadewa, Ambassador of Indonesia, Mr. Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, G. Secretary of Mass Media Mr. Patroklos Georgiadis, G.Secretary of Civil Protection, Mr Hirsam Darwish, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Egypt, Mr. Mozafari, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Iran, Mr. Dim.Papagalakis, representative of the President of the Greek Commission for UNESCO, Father M.Bradshaw, on the part of the British Ambassador, Mrs. Maria Antoniadis, President of the Journalists’ Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers Mr. Jean Daniel Colombani, President of the Youth Leadership – The Exelixis Institute.

Extracts of Speeches: “Bitterness answers our tolerance in the name of religious pluralism and is the criterion of how we coexist with the religiously different one,” M.Begzos.

Let us learn from peacekeeping Aaron, from the “Prince of Peace” Jesus Christ, or from all those who carry messages of indifference or mutual help. Let’s learn from the modern-day Jesus Christ great lawmaker Hille: “If not me, then who? If not now, then when? “, Dr. K. Zarras

“The primary concern of the pastoral approach is the formation of a christocentric ethos of the members of the Church so that love for the “hetero” or “our” is revealed in practice”, Fr Adamantios Avgoustidis

“Religions through their teaching and historical testimony have proven beyond all difficulty that they can coexist fruitfully and creatively. People wish? “, Dr. M. Marioras

“The remaining deviations of the Greek legal framework for religious freedom from the Western European enlightenment model are an open theological pendant, despite the undisputed progress that has been made and affecting the prospects of a genuine interreligious dialogue in terms of equality,” Dr. M.Tsapogas

“Today, more than half of the world’s population, supports its origins literally (genealogically) or metaphorically (spiritually) to Patriarch Abraham. The past teaches the present to build the future. The Rabbis teach: “Let every man be merciful to the face,” Rabbi Gabriel Negrein

“It is time for all Muslims, Christians and Jews to understand that this state of hatred, aversion and hostility that is taking place among us is unacceptable,” Dr Abd Rasoul Mounir

The Most Reverend Chrysostomos Metropolitan of Messenia, referred to the multifaceted work of the Church of Greece on the expression of coexistence by documenting its “practice” in ecclesiological criteria

Father Kontidis referred to the difficulties faced by Roman Catholics in Greece, as well as to the positive developments that have been taking place for a long time.

Reverend Boukis Dimitrios  described the reality of Evangelicals in Greece through various narratives.