“I love you Athena!”

The message of a young refugee leaving Athens

“Well, here we are it is my last hours in Greece, Holly Greece, I really don’t know how to thank you and your people, for everything you gave to me: Love, adventures, good company, and for helping me to Rebuild my personality. Athens I am so sorry cuz I am leaving, you are my 2nd home I’ll miss your warm walls, and your beauty, and your brave people, actually I need years to finish formal adoption hearing for you. I love you Athena. I’ll come back to visit you <3 “

The FB status of a 19-Year-old refugee from Syria who is flying today to France according to the relocation program. We don’t need to say much. We only want to stand here for a minute and draw the attention of all those talking about weakness of integration. These people are here already for a long period and they have already met Greece with all its positive and negative characteristics. They loved Greece, they lived in Greece, they laughed and cried in Greece. It has become a part of them and every day it becomes a stronger part of them, regardless of whether it is just an important station in their long journey or they will spend the rest of their lives here. Integration concerns everyone and urges the equal participation of the so called “others” and the locals. We wish our little friend all the best and we are glad we had the chance to meet him! Stories like his, inspire us to continue our work.