Description of organisation

Kinisi Ethelonton Service Civil International Hellas (SCI Hellas) is a nongovernmental organisation based in Athens. It is the Greek branch of Service Civil International, an international voluntary movement that aims to promote Peace, Solidarity and Intercultural Understanding through organising international voluntary projects, campaigns and seminars. Through its actions, SCI tries to enhance the peaceful cooperation of people from different cultural and social backgrounds as well as to encourage the direct participation of citizens in the solution of social problems. It is a founding member of the Greek Antipoverty Network.
Main activities:
1. International workcamps in Greece
2. Sending Greek volunteers to workcamps to other countries
3. Hosting and sending volunteers in the framework of EVS
4. Coordination of hosting EVS projects
5. Raising awareness activities for the promotion of volunteering
6. Close cooperation with organisations from Mediterranean countries
SCI Hellas has been committed to peace work since the beginning of its activities, when the focus was on the devastation caused by the Nazi occupation of Greece. Recently, and following the massive influx of people coming from war zones in search of refuge, it has been focusing on the right to free mobility and on highlighting the many challenges and the violence refugees and asylum seekers face. SCI has been working both with the refugees themselves (in the Centre for Asylum Seekers of Lavrio, for example) and engaging in activities and campaigns to raise the awareness of the Greek general population about their situation. Other projects related to human rights include conflict resolution trainings, inclusive youth exchanges, workcamps with disadvantaged children, and people with mental health problems.
SCI Hellas is a member of the international working group for refugees of SCI (Building Bridges).
During the last 10 years SCI Hellas has been implementing many activities with the help of the long-term volunteers (EVS) which were hosted. Below is an indicative list:
• Every year between 5-10 of December we organise a Peace Week (raise awareness public events on international volunteering and Human Rights)
• Language and culture courses/workshops in Athens in which foreigners who live in Athens teach the Greeks their culture, daily attitudes and the meaning of gestures together with basic knowledge of their language (Farsi, Arabic etc)
• Photography workshop on “Social inclusion”
• Workshops in schools on xenophobia, discrimination, racism and volunteering
• Board game on the Declaration of Human Rights
• Movie and food international nights
Running creative and sports activities with young refugees and kids and support the non-formal football team “Umoja-Enosi” the first panafrican football team in Athens who participate in a local league.