Club thrower Alia Issa, a member of the Refugee Paralympic Team in Tokyo, trained I thanks to the RePower program, supported by Active Citizens Fund Greece
Stories with a happy ending. Stories of people from different generations, places and backgrounds. Touching and unquestionably optimistic stories. Stories of transformation. Such were the stories shared at the remarkable event held at the end of October at the Athens Conservatoire.
This event marked the symbolic closing ceremony of the country’s largest funding program for civil society, the Active Citizens Fund Greece, managed by two experienced organizations: the Bodossaki Foundation and Solidarity Now. Through the programs supported by this initiative, €15 million was allocated to 208 organizations implementing 128 projects across Greece, directly benefiting 152,000 of our fellow citizens.
This philanthropic fund was provided by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and is part of the European Economic Area (EEA) financial mechanism known as EEA Grants.
But what does it mean to strengthen civil society? The actions that began in 2019 and concluded this year were designed to foster participation, combat gender-based violence, and promote inclusion, gender equality, democratic processes, and human rights. These initiatives reached every corner of Greece – from Athens and Thessaloniki to smaller cities, rural areas, islands, and remote communities.
The beneficiary organizations were selected through seven open calls for proposals, attracting applications from universities, local authorities, organizations and groups. As a result, the grand celebration at the conservatoire brought everyone together: those who shared their personal experiences, either in person or through recorded messages, as well as representatives of the organizations, foundations, and countries that provided the funding.
The program’s impact was evident in the stories of lives transformed – survivors of gender-based violence, individuals with disabilities and psychosocial challenges, victims of torture, survivors of human trafficking, asylum seekers and refugees, second-generation immigrants, Roma people, prisoners, and the elderly.
Take, for example, Nikos Athanasiadis from Chalkida, whose wife suffers from dementia. In a documentary, he shared that caring for her fulfills the promise he made to her on their wedding day. In the afternoons, his wife engages in painting, Pilates, and watching films at the Agia Irini Day Center for People with Dementia in Halkida, a facility supported by the Active Citizens Fund.
Another inspiring story is that of Vangelis Zalios, a psychiatrist-psychotherapist who lost his sight at the age of 25. Recently, he trained healthcare professionals in how to better support patients with disabilities, as part of a project funded by the program.
Cuban singer Taimi Rodriguez also benefited from the initiative, taking preparatory courses for the Greek citizenship exams through the Active Citizens Fund.
“If we want Europe to remain a beacon of democracy and freedom in our world, we need a stronger and more cohesive civil society sector,” emphasized Norwegian Ambassador Lajla Brandt Jakhelln.
“Today, as our world confronts so many challenges, the role civil society can play in fostering a healthy democracy is vital,” added Athina Dessypri, president of the Bodossaki Foundation.
“The Active Citizens Fund has served as a catalyst for change,” noted Stelios Zavvos, president of Solidarity Now.
The ceremony featured a photography exhibition, a screening of the documentary “Time for Change” (directed by Loukas Paleokrassas of Anemon Productions) and heartfelt storytelling, with emotions running high throughout.
In a world that appears uncertain and polarized, solidarity points the way forward.