It was a great pleasure to welcome 16 students of Mandoulides Junior-High School at YMCA Thessaloniki. The visit took place due to cooperation with the program “DIA-drasis – Child Center for the Development of Social Skills” that YMCA is running under the project “Enhancing the right to education and access in sc  hooling for refugee children” with Metropolitan Development Agency of Thessaloniki as lead partner and funding by Foundation Open Society Institute. The students were informed about the action of YMCA during the refugee crisis, especially about the participation in projects such as RE.A.C.T, REACT for Lifeand DIA-drasis. Then, a second visit took place at the premises of the Child Center “DIA-drasis”.

Due to the special occasion of the date, a unique surprise for the students was organised at DIA-drasis! Today, the 18th of December is commemorated as World  Arabic Language Day. Arabic is a common language spoken by most of the children at DIA-drasis. Evina Dimitriadou-Badawy, Arabist and teaching staff of DIA-drasis too, was our guide to get familiar with Arabic language through a game with common words between Greek and Arabic!

We would like to thank all students of Mandoulides School and of course their teacher,  clergyman Christos Kelpis, for their initiative to raise so many gifts, books and toys for the children of “DIA-drasis”. Last, but not least, special thanks for the support to the General Manager of Mandoulides Educators, mrs. Aspa Hasioti.