UNICEF Greece

At the "9th Economist Sustainability Summit for SE Europe & the Mediterranean", Theodora Kosmopoulou and Mario Arampatzis, members of UNICEF’s Children & Youth Advisory Board, joined the closing panel to represent the voices of young people advocating for a sustainable future.   As Theodora powerfully stated, “we are not dreamers, we are doers.” Marios also emphasized that young people must have a seat at the decision-making table — “we are the first generation with the knowledge to fix things, and the last generation able to do so”, he said.   The discussion, co-chaired by Professor Andreas Papandreou and Alasdair Ross from The Economist, highlighted how young climate activists are moving beyond protests to influence policy and business decisions, bringing innovation, climate justice, and fresh perspectives to sustainability.   We are proud of their commitment, insight, and passion for driving real change. 💙 #econsustainability

The educational workshops on child rights in kindergarten continue with great success in Crete! Following the first workshop in early October, more than 600 participants attended the sessions held in Heraklion on October 21–22. These workshops provided a valuable opportunity for educators to learn, exchange ideas, and discuss practical ways to apply children’s rights in everyday educational settings. The workshops were organized by the Child Rights Centre of the University of Crete, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Education Advisors of the Directorate of Primary Education of Heraklion. A heartfelt thank you to all organizers and participants for contributing to this important initiative — working together to promote children’s rights, equality and inclusion in every school. 💙 #ChildRights #ForEveryChild

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.   The UN and its agencies—including UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)—work worldwide to defend peace, justice, and human rights.   Eighty years later, in a world still plagued by conflict, inequality, and crisis, its work remains more relevant than ever—as a symbol of hope for global unity. #UnitedNations #UNDay 

What's the role of the police in protecting child rights?   Police officers from Rethymno participated in a training seminar aimed at strengthening their knowledge and skills in approaching and supporting child victims of abuse in a way that promotes their safety, dignity, and rights.   The initiative was organized by the Child Rights Centre of the University of Crete, in collaboration with UNICEF, as part of joint efforts to develop a culture of respect and protection for children in practice.   Many thanks to Associate Professor (Pedagogical Department of Preschool Education) and Child Rights Centre's Coordinator, Maria Kypriotaki for organizing the event, the University of Crete for its support, and Professor of Criminal Psychology Olga Themeli for her contribution to the training of participants and her scientific guidance.

✨ Supporting children’s learning goes far beyond teaching skills — it’s about nurturing who they are and who they can become.   More than 470 kindergarten teachers attended the recent child rights workshop delivered by UNICEF in Heraklion! Participants had the chance to deep dive into the true substance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the importance to understand and safeguard children’s rights from the very first stages of childhood in order to nurture them in an environment of equality, respect, and inclusion.   The workshop was organized by the Child Rights Centre of the University of Crete, in collaboration with UNICEF and the education advisors of the Heraklion Primary Education Directorate.   Thank you all for the great participation —together we can bring positive change #ForEveryChild! 

Following the devastating fires of August 12, children and families in the Pissosykia Roma camp faced severe shortages of housing and basic goods. 📦 UNICEF, in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Social Solidarity and Combating Poverty and the Municipality of Western Achaia, responded immediately to support those affected by the fires by providing 89 double beds, 5 tents, and 325 plastic mats to meet immediate needs. 🙏The action was carried out in collaboration with the Roma Forum, the Union of Greek Roma Mediators and Associates, the Federation of Roma Associations of Western Greece "Agios Andreas," the Association of Greek Roma Youth and Women of Western Achaia "Agios Georgios," and the executives of the Roma Community Center Annex. 💛 Together, we stand by children and families, offering hope and support. #ForEveryChild

This week we traveled to Rethymno, where more than 170 kindergarten teachers participated in the 2nd training workshop dedicated to child rights. Through presentations and experiential workshops, teachers gained a better understanding of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while exchanging ideas and practices on topics such as: 🔵Inclusion and diversity in the classroom. 🔵Tackling school violence and creating a safe school environment. 🔵The right to education as a foundation for children's well-being. At the same time, they were informed about the National Action Plan to Combat Childhood Obesity (Ministry of Health – UNICEF) and familiarized themselves with the educational tools (toolboxes) designed to support their work in the classroom. The workshop was organized by the Center for Children's Rights of the University of Crete, the Directorate of Primary Education of Rethymno, and the Education Advisors of the 1st and 2nd Units of Rethymno in collaboration with UNICEF. 🙏Thank you very much for participating – we’ll keep it up at the next stops!

Following the official announcement of the new International Master’s Degree on Child Rights in June, UNICEF Greece hosted a productive workshop with the programme’s Academic Coordinators, who finalized its overall structure and three-semester curricula while exploring innovative child rights-based teaching methodologies.   The fruitful meeting was built on a series of technical consultations between Dr. Ghassan Khalil, UNICEF Representative in Greece and Academic Advisor of the programme, Prof. Thanasis Karalis, President of the Pedagogy Department of the University of Patras, and Prof. Elia Chatzigianni, Vice-Rector of the University of Peloponnese.   Taught in English and open to both Greek and international students, the Master’s will combine coursework with hands-on internships in Child Rights Centres in Greece and abroad. These Centres will serve as pioneering hubs of research, practice, and innovation - ensuring students gain both academic knowledge and practical skills to advance and uphold the rights of every child.   The integration of Child Rights into the university curricula is a fundamental pillar of the Child Rights Centre initiative and this milestone marks another important step forward in bringing this inspiring Master’s programme to life!

With the participation of over 350 kindergarten teachers, the first in a series of training workshops dedicated to child rights was completed in Chania.   Over two days, participants attended both plenary sessions and thematic workshops, exchanging knowledge and practices that support their role in preschool education.   In addition to discussing the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the right to education, the right to protection from abuse, and ways to strengthen the voice of children in the classroom, educators also had the opportunity to learn more about the National Action Plan to Combat Childhood Obesity — a programme implemented by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF. They were introduced to the toolbox materials developed within this programme, practical resources designed to support educators in their daily work. The training was organized by the University of Crete, the Center for Child Right at the University of Crete, the Directorate of Primary Education of Chania, and the Education Advisors of Chania Units A and B.   💙 Many thanks to all participants for their active engagement and commitment to ensuring the rights of every child.