Premiere today for the 1st Athens Civil Society Festival, the big three-day colorful celebration, surrounded by lots of fun and music, organized from today until Sunday the 23rd of the month, from 10 am to 10 pm, by the Municipality of Athens in Serafio Cultural and Sports Center of Piraeus Street.

More than 200 organizations and bodies of the Civil Society cooperate, cooperate and highlight their great work, giving their own distinct presence and presenting their actions and vision.

The Festival, an initiative of the Municipality of Athens and “SynAthina”, aims to unite, connect, support, highlight and empower the active part of the city: the organizations, bodies and groups of the Civil Society. A game is hidden behind the inspiration for the realization of the festival: The Chinese Tangram puzzle, consisting of seven flat shapes, which join, “work together”, combine to form infinite symbols, images, designs, without a single piece to overlap the other. This is also the philosophy of this great celebration of Athens.

“We all join our forces together, we all learn together, we become a little better” said with enthusiasm about this great celebration of volunteerism and civil society solidarity, the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, who visited Sarafeio and spoke with all the participants , while he thanked them for their presence and effort.

The Mayor of Athens ate from the hot food offered to him by Konstantinos Polychronopoulos, from the social kitchen “The Other Man”. Mr. Polychronopoulos, who is among the numerous protagonists of the festival, spoke with particular fervor about this initiative of the Municipality of Athens which highlights the work and contribution of the participants and focuses with respect on the diversity of the selection, as he characteristically said.

Non-governmental organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, The Smile of a Child, Defense for Children International Greece, the Red Cross, the Association for the Care and Protection of Stray Animals and many others are present at the Athens Civil Society Festival , and get close to visitors of all ages.

An Athens that will belong to everyone and a life in the city where everyone will live it with acceptance, equality, parity, support and solidarity is the vision and the “soul” of the festival, responsible deputy mayor for Social Solidarity and Civil Society Katerina Gagaki said in APE-MPE “Athens breathes only with the support, contribution and help of these organizations. They are an integral part of our lives and it was the least we could do, saying a big ‘thank you'”. Let’s unite them all together in a big celebration with many actions, over 200 actions in three days, for all ages from very young children to adults, different actions and we want everyone to enjoy it, to understand, to receive the message of Festival and let’s all continue together” concluded Ms. Gagaki.

Information booths and bazaars, children’s and youth activities as well as psycho-pedagogical games, screenings and theatrical performances for young and old, sports activities, concerts and musical events and other surprises await visitors.

https://www.synathina.gr/acsf-schedule/