Athens
- City: Athens
- Country: Greece
- Population: 123
- Type: Extra Artical
- Location: 37.9838|23.7275
Other cities with pledges for similar principles
On 30 January 2019, Athens became the 13th city to sign a pledge to the European Pillar of Social Rights. Mayor Georgios Kaminis signed a strong commitment to principle 1 on education and principle 3 on equal opportunities.
To promote lifelong learning, Athens is delivering an Action Plan with specific measures to:
- Transform municipal spaces into learning and sports spaces to respond to real time needs of residents for learning and skill building.
- Develop and support small-scale learning projects (e.g. grassroots initiatives) that are open and free to the public.
- Link learning with community-building through participatory planning, community engagement and accessibility for all in order to achieve integration and social cohesion.
To ensure equal opportunities, Athens is offering basic services to all residents regardless of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. This is done by:
- Expanding service provision with support from the European Social Fund to create Community Centres, Centres for Migrant Integration and the Centre for Roma Inclusion.
- Training municipal staff to provide non-discriminatory and equal access to services to all residents
increasing capacity for service delivery by collaborating with relevant state actors and NGOs.
Mayor Georgios Kaminis said: “A stronger Europe is only possible if all actors take an active part in building and delivering an effective social policy. Athens aims to develop as an inclusive, sustainable and resilient city with the participation and active involvement of all its residents”.
Then, on 14 September 2020, Athens signed a pledge to principle 19 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, reaffirming its commitment to housing and assistance for the homeless. Athens:
- Delivered 5,036 food and medicine packages at home during lockdown, and provided 8,236 packages were provided at the centre. This was coordinated by its Reception and Solidarity Centre (KYADA)
- Has initiated two new programmes to support 480 families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Basic food and hygiene supplies will be provided and families will receive psychosocial support.
- Created the ‘City of Athens Multipurpose Homeless Centre’ to accommodate homeless people during the pandemic. The city also has a permanent accommodation centre that offers psychosocial assistance and support for labour-market integration.
- Opened an accommodation centre for homeless people with drug addictions, which currently houses 90 people who receive counselling, detoxification programmes and psychosocial support.
- Will open a Social Pathology- Surgical Clinic, a Social Mental Health Clinic and a Social Dental Clinic to reach the most vulnerable.
City Councillor and President of KYADA Grigoris Leon said: “The right to proper housing is an inalienable right for all people and an absolute prerequisite for social cohesion”.