Giannis Antetokounmpo was awarded for his charitable action for refugees

OR International Rescue Committee (IRC) honor him Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family for with the John C. Whitehead Humanitarian Award for the action to help refugees. Thus he became the first athlete to receive the honorary award. Through his father’s Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation, the NBA superstar helps refugees in Nigeria, Greece, the US and other countries, promoting sustainable social change.

“When you go through a lot in life, you develop survival skills that never go away. They are engraved in your heart, in your soul, in who you are. There are a lot of people who don’t have the resources that we do, who don’t have the support of a group like the Bucks to give them someone to talk to and help them cope – but we can do it, I can do it, the family he can do it to me“, Greek Freak pointed out.

“Basketball will be over in a few years. The impact my family and I have on the world today – 10 years from now, and forever, even when we’re not here – will always be the impact people remember“, added the 30-year-old ace who traveled to New York with his wife, Mariah and his mother, Veronica, to receive the award.

THE David Milibandpresident and CEO of the IRC, said: “The Antetokounmpo family has not only lived the refugee experience, but continues to support the needs and voices of communities in Nigeria, Greece and the US, as well as refugees around the world. Their mission is deeply aligned with that of the IRC. We are proud to honor them with the Whitehead Award».

The John C. Whitehead Humanitarian Awardnamed after the IRC’s longest serving Board member and Honorary President, is awarded to individuals whose enduring commitment to humanity embodies the spirit and passion for humanitarian causes and who have made significant contributions to saving and improving life worldwide.

The International Rescue Committee – IRC Hellas started its operation in Greece in 2015, on the island of Lesvos, in response to the unprecedented number of refugees that arrived on the island at that time. Since the beginning of its activities in Greece, IRC Hellas has provided support and protection services to people living in shelters, but also in the urban fabric. Directly or in collaboration with other Civil Society agencies, it has provided housing, basic necessities, access to sanitation facilities, reliable and up-to-date information, protection for vulnerable groups of the population, legal assistance, case management, mental and psychosocial support, as well as employability services for beneficiaries and applicants for international protection and other vulnerable groups in Greece.