We cannot continue to ignore the fact that some people are born with fewer opportunities, that there are systemic discriminations and exclusions that prevent them from prospering.
Written by Haris Doukas / Mayor of Athens
Society and institutions have a responsibility to provide a safety net to those who need it most. Today, more than ever, we need a strong and cohesive society that respects the rights of all, promotes justice, and creates a better future for future generations.
As mayor of Athens for the past year, I have consciously chosen solidarity instead of isolation , cooperation instead of competition , partnerships instead of individualism.
For us, inclusion is not a luxury , it is necessary .
Integration is not an act of charity, but an investment in our future .
That is why we have undertaken important actions to promote gender equality in practice. At the Shelter for Women Victims of Violence of the Municipality of Athens, 11 women and 12 children are hosted , while at the Center for Combating Gender-Based Violence, over the past year we have provided counseling services to 215 women who have suffered gender-based and sexual violence.
At the same time, we are the first municipality in Greece to implement the pioneering program ” As HERE ” for the prevention and treatment of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Regarding people with disabilities , we created the Accessibility and Inclusion Team , and for the first time we are organizing exhibitions and activities at the Municipal Gallery, the St. Hatzimichalis Museum, the Digital Museum and the Arts Center, universally accessible to people with visual and auditory disabilities as well as people with autism.
We created the safe Athens application so that our deaf fellow citizens can feel safe, we created 7 accessible routes for people with motor and visual disabilities and we established March as disability awareness month. Workshops, actions and a Career Day have already been planned.
Diversity is the field where innovation , creativity and solidarity flourish.
Diversity is not the problem, it is the solution .
We also believe that age should not be an obstacle but an opportunity for new experiences. That is why in March we are organizing the 1st Active Aging Festival , where the 2nd poetry competition and the 1st painting competition will be held in collaboration with the Goulandris Foundation and where the Friendship Clubs of our municipality will present their work (with theatrical performances, choir, constructions). At the same time, we are running the pilot Program ” I Age Smartly ” with the aim of increasing the autonomy of dozens of our elderly fellow citizens.
Regarding immigrants living in our city, our crown jewel is the Immigrant Integration Center , which operates on the one-stop shop model and in 2024 alone served 3,000 unique beneficiaries.
Under the Social Solidarity Directorate of our Municipality, we operate a support and social integration department for immigrants and refugees to provide specialized services for access to social, political, psychosocial and legal support, language learning and acquisition of skills useful in the labor market. The Municipality, through the Coordination Center for Immigrants and Refugees and in collaboration with organizations that promote labor integration, has organized job fairs (in 2024 with the participation of 270 participants from 40 countries and 33 businesses) as well as intercultural actions (such as the celebration of World Refugee Day in 2024 at KAPAPS Park, which brought together over 400 people).
In Athens , every citizen – regardless of origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or disability , is a valuable piece of a rare mosaic.
Diversity is the field where innovation , creativity and solidarity flourish.
Diversity is not the problem, it is the solution .
Therefore, local government, as the institution closest to the citizen, has the responsibility to take the lead.
Let us work together, with determination and vision, to leave no one behind.
