Following the decision of its Steering Committee for increased openness, “Integration Centre for Migrant Workers-Ecumenical Refugee Program” organized its 1st workshop titled “The right to family Reunification: Emerging needs, emerging responses” on Friday, May 25, 2018 at the Athens Bar Association. The workshop was held in the framework of the project “Bringing families together 2018” implemented by KSPM-ERP in cooperation with UNHCR.
In his opening speech, KSPM-ERP’s director, the Reverend Archimandrite f. Panteleimon Papasynefakis, expressed his hope that this event will become a precursor to other similar initiatives aiming at raising public awareness on migration and refugee issues and promoting the Centre’s humanitarian work.
Dr. Antonios Papantoniou, honorary President of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), founder and former director of KSPM-ERP, gave a brief historical overview of the Center’s activities. He also pointed out that the subject under discussion is more topical than ever in the context of the continuous, open-ended debate regarding refugees in Europe.
Ms. Anna Michalakeli, project coordinator, presented the project “Bringing Families Together 2018” and referred to the humanitarian and judicial nature of the Dublin III Regulation, followed by Mrs Emmanuela Tsapouli, representative of UNHCR’s Refugee Protection Department, who made a brief intervention regarding UNHCR’s positions on family reunification, the forthcoming new Regulation, the consultations at European level, as well as changes in funding priorities.
The main session of the workshop was presented by the Center’s legal team and it was dedicated to specific issues concerning the implementation of the Dublin III Regulation, the key challenges of the procedure and the perspectives of the forthcoming Dublin IV Regulation. They were followed by the Center’s social workers and team of interpreters referring to the regarding the important role of their professions in the procedure.
Finally, ms Helena Pantopoulou, coordinator of the project “Rebuilt our lives”, implemented by KSPM-ERP in cooperation with Diakoniekatastrophenhilfe, presented the alternatives for the asylum seekers in case their family reunion claims are finally rejected.
The workshop was attended by a large number of professionals of the field who had the chance to meet and discuss on the abovementioned issues.
For more details on speakers and topics you can download the workshop’s program.
Program (in greek).
