Greek Forum of Migrants
Time: 16:15 - 18:00
For the 9th year we are demonstrating with the WAD 2023 Walk Against Discrimination, on the World Day Against Racism 21 March:
International Day Against Racism
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
This year, we are supporting the “Walk Against Discrimination”,
We say together: NO to racism!
On the International Day Against Racism (International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination), on March 21, the Hellenic Migrant Forum, for the 9th year, calls on all groups affected by discrimination and racism to declare their determination to fight every kind of racism and degradation of human dignity.
We unite our voices, more than 100 civil society organizations, representatives from wider social groups that face discrimination in our country PWD, LGBTI+, Roma, Immigrants, Refugees, HIV-positive, Elderly, Psychoactive Substance Users, Mentally ill, Religious groups, etc. but also the defenders and defenders of human rights who are charged for their work and actions. United, we will hold a peaceful rally and hand over the ANTI-RACISM baton/prize – Janetos Antipas to the organization that during the previous year actively contributed to the defense of human rights.
Gathering point, on Tuesday 21 March 2023, at 4.30 pm, at the monument to the Unknown Soldier (Syntagma station), where the ANTI-RACISM prize will be awarded – Janetos Antipas
This year, we will NOT walk, we will stand still at the rally point in protest of the stagnation of human rights in the country. We remain still, but standing, holding aloft the baton of human rights, however tested.
Every year, the end of the action of the “Walk against discrimination” is marked by the awarding of the ANTI-RACISM – Janetos Antipas award to an organization / body or person for his contribution to the defense of human rights. This year, the organizing committee of the Walk decided to hand over the baton/prize to EPSE, the Hellenic Observatory of the Helsinki Accords, which this year completes 30 years of action in favor of human rights in all areas (ethnic and religious minorities, Roma, LGBTI +, the disabled, immigrants and refugees, freedom of expression, fair trial, racist crimes, combating the extreme right, gender equality, children’s rights, police brutality, human rights defenders). The action of the EPSE focuses on submitting reports and reports to the UN, Council of Europe and the EU and lawsuits and appeals in Greek and international justice, which has subsequently issued hundreds of convictions or criminal prosecutions.
However, 2022 ended with the prosecution of human rights defenders, including the representative of the EPSE, Panagiotis Dimitras. The restrictive measures imposed on him have been denounced by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights Defenders and the Human Rights of Migrants (and many Greek and international NGOs) as a violation of international and European law of human rights and asylum, while they constitute an abuse of Greek laws, with the aim of punishing their action as defenders of human rights.
* The awarding of the baton award was established in 2017 in memory of the activist and founder of the PRAKSIS organization, Janetou Antipas. Every year, an organization/body receives the baton for its contribution to the defense of human rights.
The Organizing Committee of the “Walk against Discrimination” for 2023 is made up of the organizations: