Στις 16 Δεκεμβρίου, στο Center for the Study of Hellenic Language and Culture (HeLaS) On December 16, at the Center for the Study of Hellenic Language and Culture (HeLaS) of D.I.K.E.P.P.E.E. “Stavros Niarchos”, the President of HeLaS, Professor Xenophon Bitsikas, Vice-Rector for International Relations, Global Engagement and Lifelong Learning and the Head of D.I.K.E.P.P.E.E. “Stavros Niarchos”, Vasiliki Panteli, together with the staff members of HeLaS, Anna Douvali, Anastasia Giannikou, Evangelia Apostolou, and Eleftheria Kontou, had the honor and pleasure of jointly organizing, with the coordinators of the Urban Network of Ioannina, Lefkothea Katsenou and Lambrini Katsouli, an outreach activity for unaccompanied refugee minors. Specifically, 15 unaccompanied minor refugees, residing within the urban area of the city, were welcomed along with their educators — Myrsini Papagiannaki, Eleni Siasi, Mary Stathokosta, Maria Vasiliou — and the social worker of the General Secretariat for the Protection of Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection, Ms. Elvira Lianou. After a guided tour of the HeLaS facilities at D.I.K.E.P.P.E.E. “Stavros Niarchos,” the participants had the opportunity to meet and interact with the students of the winter program through language games. As part of the environmental education program they are attending, the visitors also completed a questionnaire on environmental awareness. Following this, a tree planting activity and tree-naming session with Greek words took place in the surrounding area of D.I.K.E.P.P.E.E., with the active participation of the children. This symbolic action aimed to cultivate a lasting and "rooted" relationship between the children and HeLaS. The contribution of the Region of Epirus, which provided the trees, was instrumental in the realization of this meaningful initiative.

We were honored by the presence of Ms. Vasiliki Marneli, Head of the Independent Department of Administrative, Financial, and Pedagogical Support of the Regional Directorate of Education of Epirus, and Ms. Georgia Papageorgiou, Head of the 4th Department of Informatics and New Technologies, responsible for refugee education in the same Directorate.

This first joint initiative between HeLaS and the coordinators of the Urban Network of Ioannina was a complete success and lays the foundation for future collaborations.