The dramatic increase in racist violence and discrimination is part of the crisis in Greece and a threat to democracy in the country. The severity of the problem has spread in the storm of the economic crisis, creating a terrifying xenophobic and anti-immigrant climate, as elected members of the party of the extreme right proclaim Greece at war with immigrants.
So what happened and we got to this point? Didn't we had a sufficient legislation to protect the rights of the weak? Should we attribute responsibility for the exacerbation to the economic crisis? Or does a tolerance towards racism really characterizes the Greek society ? It starts in school and in the family and society? Are there discrimination and racism the aftermath of the crisis, or an aspect of the established social life which was just uncovered in this difficult circumstances? Can anything be done to reverse this trend?
The "Racism and discrimination in Greece today" report, outlines the legal arsenal available to the Greek legal system to combat racism and discrimination and attempts to capture the reality of the protection of rights against racial insults based on material and reports that have been published in the last two years. In this context, the ability of the Greek state to oppose an effective strategy against the spread of racist and discriminatory phenomena is evaluated. At the same time the attitude of the police and judicial authorities in the field of public communication and, in particular, in that of education emerges as critical. The report concludes with recommendations for the guidelines that would be necessary to follow thereafter the mobilization of institutional mechanisms and civil society in Greece to halt racist threat today.
The report will be presented in public for the first time, on October 29, by the authors:
Anthonis Gazakis, teacher in secondary education and President of the voluntary "Solidarity School" 'Ulysses'
Andreas Takis, Asst. Professor of Philosophy of Law at the Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He served as Deputy of the Greek Ombudsman (2003-09) and Secretary General of Migration Policy of the Ministry of Interior.
Despina Syrri, social scientist, president of the NGO SYMβIOSIS
The conclusions of the report have been invited to comment
Angelos Syrigos, Secretary General of Population and Social Cohesion of the Ministry of Interior
Nelly Askouni, Professor in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Education, University of Athens
Nicodemus Maina Kinyoua, NGOs ASANTE
The event will be moderated by journalist Ksenia Kounalaki, Chief Editor of International News of the Kathimerini newspaper.
You can read the report here.
