The Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) invited a group of experts from diverse backgrounds to pursue reflection on “Access to education for refugee children in Greece: evaluations and experiences from the past year”. The discussion was held on Monday, June 12th 2017 in Athens at the premises of the Foundation. 

The discussion started with brief presentations by Mrs. Geli Aroni from the Commission for the Management, Coordination and Monitoring of the Refugee Children’s Education of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs (Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs), Mr. Nikos Belavillas – Professor at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and a member of the Ministry of Education’s Commission for the Coordination of the Refugee Children’s Education, Mr. Vassilis Papastergiou – lawyer and representative of the Hellenic League for Human Rights (CSHR), and Mrs. Marina Nikolova – member of the Migration Research Group of ELIAMEP and country coordinator of the European Website on Integration (EWSI). Coordinator of the discussion was Mrs. Dia Anagnostou, ELIAMEP’s Senior Research Fellow and Assistant Professor at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences. 

The participants had the chance to present their experience and to exchange knowledge and ideas on the future education plan for the refugee children. The invited experts evaluated the results and the experiences from the past year and discussed possible strategies to address the educational needs of children for the next year. Results of the already implemented program were announced and the challenges and concerns for the next year were articulated.