Thessaloniki, 26th of February 2020
<<Support for victims of torture in motion: experience, challenges and concerns>> is the title of the workshop that is organized by ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth.
The workshop concerns refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers, who have fallen victims of torture due to war and civil conflict, political persecution, religious beliefs, national origin, gender and sexual orientation.
The tasks of the workshop will happen on the 28th of February, Friday, from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, in the hall <<Manolis Anagnostakis>> at the city hall, with the support of the deputy mayor of social policy of the municipality of Thessaloniki.
Key thematic modules of the workshop are the assessment of the experience until now, the exchange of opinions and the showcase of good practices, as well as the search for new ways to contribute to the process of rehabilitation and integration of survivors of torture in motion, while there will also be narrations from the very people that were subjected to torture.
The program for the support of victims of torture of ARSIS began to operate from November 2018, under the funding of German Doctors, while, from September 2019, it is implemented through the PIER III-Protection, Integration and Education for Refugees in Greece and Austria program, with the support of The Coca-Cola Foundation, and in collaboration with Caritas Austria.
The goal of the program is to provide psychosocial support and mental health services, as well as legal support services, to adult asylum seekers and refugees that have survived from torture.
Indicative of the large number of refugees and asylum seekers that have survived torture and are living in the North of Greece is the fact that, until today, 130 participants have joined the program, men and women.
The main countries of origin of the victims of torture are Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Ghana. The biggest population is men, age 18-35.
These are people that need support both due to the torture and traumatic experiences that they have survived and because of the challenges posed by the refugee process and their lives in Greece.
The entrance to the workshop is free and attendance certificates will be provided.
For more information:
Katerina Chondrou, MSc Psychologist, coordinator of the Victims of Torture Support Program of ARSIS, phone number: 6976780930
Download the press release here.
