As part of the international conference currently being held in Athens by the World Council of Churches (WCC), the historic Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) visited the headquarters of SYNYPARXIS, the Church of Greece’s organization dedicated to supporting refugees and migrants.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Ilion, President of SYNYPARXIS, at the organization’s central offices. The event commenced with opening remarks by His Eminence Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Vice President of SYNYPARXIS and WCC member, who extended greetings on behalf of the organization. In his address, Metropolitan Athenagoras emphasized the evangelical foundation of the Church’s commitment to vulnerable populations.
The focal point of the visit was the presentation of the “PYXIDA” Program – Complementary Support Mechanism to the National Strategy for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minor Refugees in Greece. The initiative, funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), is coordinated by SYNYPARXIS as lead partner in a national consortium.
Archimandrite Panteleimon Papasynefakis, General Director of SYNYPARXIS, outlined the program’s key objectives, strategic directions, and core services. He provided a detailed overview of the PYXIDA Specialized Services Centers, which offer comprehensive and personalized support to unaccompanied minors.
A key feature of the program is its focus on addressing psychological trauma, offering specialized mental health support and therapeutic interventions to children who have experienced displacement, violence, or loss. The aim is to support their emotional healing and long-term integration into society.
Following the presentation, participants toured the PYXIDA Center in Athens, located on-site, where they engaged with program staff and observed firsthand the methodology and day-to-day operations. Special attention was given to the program’s human-centered approach, which places each minor’s individual journey, needs, and dignity at the heart of its mission.
The WCC delegation expressed strong admiration for the work carried out through the PYXIDA project and the broader role of the Church of Greece via SYNYPARXIS. They praised the model of collaboration between Church and State in Greece as an exemplary framework that could be replicated in other countries facing similar humanitarian challenges.
* The presentation took place in the framework of the project “COMPASS- Supplementary Support Mechanism for the National Strategy for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors in Greece” with the project code 6010542 and funded by TAMEY 2021-2027.
