There have been several articles in different in Greek and English language media about the “Welcome to Greece!” guide of our network. Most of them up to now have been denouncing and/or misinforming though. Mostly, journalists obviously didn’t even read the guide before writing about it. To avoid further misunderstandings leading to the defamation of the guide here are some explanations:

1. Some basic information: The guide „Welcome to Greece!“ (see: http://lesvos.w2eu.net/info-for-refugees/welcome-to-greece-guide/) exists in four languages, English, Arabic, Farsi, French. The first version was published in August 2014, an updated version in July 2015. It is produced by the network Welcome to Europe and it was mainly distributed during what we call the “Journeys back to the border”, when refugees who arrived via Greece in Europe go back every year to welcome those who arrive newly.
2. The guide is distributed for free and it can be downloaded on the website w2eu.info for free as well. We invite again all solidarity groups and structures to download it and reprint it. Many solidarity groups acting in Greece have already asked us to print and spread the guide or get already printed version for distribution as there is an immanent lack of information leading to a high degree of anxiety and stress among the newly arriving. Many people are distributing the guide currently belonging to different groups and their feedback is just: That more guides are needed!
3. It is one of the huge gaps in Greece during this current humanitarian crisis concerning the situation of refugees that they don’t have the information they need in order to understand their rights, possibilities and obligations in Greece and Europe as well as the situation and place they specifically find themselves in upon arrival. Our main aim is to inform the people and to give them as much space as possible to take their own decisions grounded on knowledge of the situation: against the deadly consequences of a migration regime that forces them to take these dangerous routes. With thousands of refugees arriving daily in Greece, the capacities of UNHCR, NGOs and solidarity groups are much too low as to provide each newcomer orally with basic information about their rights in their own language. Continue reading Welcome to Greece! – Some facts about the refugee’ guide of Welcome to Europe →