On Thursday, June 18, Goethe-Institut Athen, the British Council, We are Community and Arteria, present an evening full of conversations, research presentations, film screenings, and collective reflection on courage, forced mobility of artists, artistic freedom, solidarity, and belonging. The event is organised in the framework of Refugee Week Greece and includes two parts:
Part 1 : Networks of Courage: Support for Displaced Artists in Eastern Europe
Report presentation followed by a conversation with artists and cultural organisations
Space: Seminar Room
Time: 18:00
At a time marked by wars, conflict, restrictions of human rights and the rise of authoritarianism, it is outspoken artists, activists and cultural workers that are among the first targets of suppression and persecution. Many are forced to flee their countries and seek temporary or permanent sanctuary elsewhere. How can artists-in-exile continue to practice their art in a new country and keep the authenticity of their voices? Who are the cultural actors and networks they can turn to for support? What challenges do they encounter and what are their needs? What does it take to nurture a welcoming and supportive ecosystem for artists away from home? Join us in a discussion about existing structures of assistance, the needs of displaced artists, and the challenges faced by the organisations supporting them. Together we will try to envision future opportunities and strategies that will allow artists to thrive in their new host environments.
18:00
Presentation of a new mapping study of safe spaces and organisations working with displaced artists and cultural practitioners
The study provides the first comprehensive overview of initiatives supporting vulnerable and displaced artists in six countries in Southeast and Eastern Europe, shedding light on the challenges, needs, and potential of an often invisible, but essential ecosystem of cultural solidarity.
Authors: Irini Vouzelakou and Svetlana Mintcheva
Commissioned by Goethe-Institut Athen
19:00
Open discussion with study participants, artists and cultural organisations
Speakers:
Fridoon Joinda, multimedia producer and social entrepreneur (filmmaker Refugee Week Greece)
Jenny Karaviti, theatre pedagogue, member of Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network
Samar Kedhy, curator, founder of Magnolia Art Residency
Theo Prodromidis, visual artist, co-founder of Scola Society
Moderated by Irini Vouzelakou, cultural manager, Arteria non-profit founder, and Svetlana Mintcheva, independent consultant and free speech expert
Part 2
Courage in Motion
Film screenings in partnership with the British Council and We are Community
Space: Terrace
Time: 20:30
As part of Refugee Week Greece 2026, this special screening programme brings together a collection of inspiring documentaries from the Stories Showcase, a touring programme organised by the British Council and Scottish Documentary Institute, alongside a film presented in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Athen. Inspired by this year’s Refugee Week theme, Courage, the programme explores stories of love, resilience, friendship, belonging, resistance, and community from across the world. Through diverse voices and perspectives, the films invite audiences to reflect on our shared realities and the power of human connection in uncertain times. This screening creates a space for dialogue, empathy, and collective imagination, celebrating cinema as a powerful tool for storytelling, solidarity, and social change.
The Films
Suspended Lives, Hiba Zaheer Hamdi, Esraa Abdulhamid Ibrahim Awad & Mohammad Azmat Al-Labbad [10 min, Syria 2017].
A top commandant from the Syrian National Army has taken the brave decision to defect which means leaving all his possessions behind and taking refuge in Jordan.
Ka’ek, Hamadi Alayed, 4 min [Jordan 2016].
Khaled finds that roaming the streets of Amman selling bread brings him in contact with poor and rich customers.
Graveyard for Giants, Madeeha Syed, Hasan Haider, Tazeen Bari & Faizan Suleman, 4 min [Karachi 2014].
Workers the size of ants, standing next to the giant ships they are dismantling, risk their life to scrap a living.
If Turtles Could Talk, Juma Adero, 20 min [East Africa 2022].
Against all odds, a local fisherman attempts to organise his local community to protect endangered marine species around Jumba beach.
Wie die Nelken [Like the Carnations], Emine Demir, 23 min
On a summer’s day, Şirin drives to Neukölln to collect her aunt, Bihar. While her friends celebrate Banu’s scholarship, Şirin struggles with rejection. That evening, Bihar comforts her with a song. The next day, they set off for the countryside on a journey filled with memories and unspoken truths. A row over queer identity escalates, leading Bihar to reveal a long-hidden secret.
All films will be screened with subtitles in English.
Short post-screening discussion, followed by closing remarks.
The event is free and open to all.
Co-organised by Goethe-Institut Athen, the British Council, We are Community, and Arteria, in the framework of Refugee Week Greece.