Workshop in Lesvos, Greece: Mediation in Migration Governance. The Multiple Facets of Protection
This 3-day workshop at the University of the AEGEAN (Mytilini, Lesvos, Greece) is co-organised by AdMiGov, the HumCities project and the Refugee Observatory of AEGEAN University.
WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE
16:00 – 16:15 Welcome by the AEGEAN University Authorities, The Department of Social Anthropology and History and the Observatory of the Refugee and Migration Crisis in the Aegean
MEDIATED INTERACTIONS IN THE HUMANITARIAN ARENA
Chair: Shahram Khosravi (University of Stockholm)
16.15 – 16.30 Introducing the project ‘Settling in the ‘humanitarian city’: The social, cultural, and political impact of the interaction between asylum seekers, agents of humanitarian governance and local society in Greece [Human(c)ity]
16.30 – 16.50 Village reborn in humanity: Mediation in the making of the humanitarian arena – Evthymios Papataxiarchis (University of the Aegean) and Alexandra Zavos (University of Crete)
16.50 – 17.10 The ‘humanitarian town’: An overview of the humanitarian scene in Mytilene (Lesvos) – Pavsanias Karathanasis (University of the Aegean) with Kelly Avanidou (University of the Aegean)
17.10 – 17.30 Comments and discussion – Thea Hilhorst (Erasmus University)
17.30 – 18.00 BREAK
18.00 – 18.20 Mediating accommodation in the ESTIA program in Athens – Marica Rombou Levidis (University of the Aegean)
18.20 – 18.40 Informal practices of mediation in the process of asylum seekers’ settlement in Athens – Ervin Shehu (University of the Aegean)
18.40 – 19.00 Spatialities of mediation? Refugee-serving NGOs and community business networks in downtown Thessalonik – Panos Hatziprokopiou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and Alexandra Siotou (University of Thessaly)
19.00 – 19.30 Comments and discussion – Maria Kastrinou (Brunel University)
19.30 – 19.45 BREAK
THE EXPERIENCE OF MEDIATION IN HUMANITARIAN ACTION
Chair: Katerina Rozakou (Panteion University) and Effie Plexousaki (University of the Aegean)
19.45 – 21.00 Round Table
Theodoros Alexellis (UNHCR Lesvos Sub-Office), Nefeli Bami (Social anthropologist, Humanitarian worker), Effie Latsoudi (Lesvos Solidarity), Mohammed Mirzay (Afghan Migrant and Refugee Community in Greece), Salim Naby (Interpreter in the AdMiGov project)
THURSDAY 9 JUNE
THE PRACTICE OF PROTECTION AT THE BORDERLANDS OF EUROPE: A VIEW FROM BELOW
Chair: Anja van Heelsum (University of Amsterdam)
10.00 – 10.15 Introduction: Studying protection at the borderlands of Europe – Evthymios Papataxiarchis (University of the Aegean)
10.15 – 10:30 Protection in a hostile environment: An on-the-ground study of protection practices in Lesvos and Athens (Greece) – Natasha Anastasiadou (University of the Aegean) and Alexandra Zavou (University of Crete)
11.35 – 11.55 Protection as a spatial Issue: Politics and practices of internal mobility in Turkish forced migration Context – Ayşen Üstübici (Koç University) and Sibel Karadağ (Koç University)
10.55 – 11.15 COFFEE BREAK
11.15 – 11:35 Displaced Syrians in Lebanon: Protection amidst crises – Gabriella Trovato (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) and Nayla Al-Akl (American University of Beirut)
11:35-11:55 ‘People are more than their migration status’: Protection beyond legal-centrism and containment – Polly Pallister Wilkins (University of Amsterdam)
11:55 – 12.15 Protection problems of people on the move – Roberto Forin (Mixed Migration Centre)
12.25 – 12.35 Comments – Rinus Penninx (University of Amsterdam) and Effie Voutira (University of Macedonia)
12.35 – 13.00 Discussion
13.00 – 14.30 LUNCH BREAK
MEDIATION IN HUMANITARIAN PROTECTION: COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES
Chair: Effie Voutira (University of Maceeonia)
14.30 – 14.50 Smuggling as humanitarian intervention – Shahram Khosravi (Stokholm University)
14.50 – 15.10 Protection at my own terms: Human smuggling and unaccompanied Syrian minors – Luigi Achilli (European University Institute)
15.10 -15.30 Mediation in refugees’ pandemic responses in a Palestinian Camp in Lebanon – Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh (University College London)
15.30 – 15.50 Discussion
15.50 – 16.10 BREAK
16.10 – 16.30 Mediating official refugee reception policies in the urban environment of Istanbul – Aysen Ustubici (Koc University)
16.30 – 16.50 Mediators: Tensions in a profession in the making – Katerina Rozakou (Panteion University)
16.50 – 17.10 Brokering care in Athens social clinics’: Informal medical protection of refugees and Greek citizens – Heath Cabot (Pittsburgh University)
17.10 – 17.30 Solidarity and Intermediation: Affinity Ties in Humanitarianism – Anne-Meike Fechter (University of Sussex)
17.30- 18.00 Discussion
FRIDAY 10 JUNE
DEALING WITH GAPS IN HUMANITARIAN PROTECTION
Chair: Evthymios Papataxiarchis (University of Aegean) and Rinus Penninx (University of Amsterdam)
10.00 – 12.00 Second Round Table (with stakeholders)
Toulina Demeli (UNHCR Lesvos Sub-Office), Nikos Gionakis (Babel Day Centre, Athens), Vasilis Kerasiotis (HIAS Greece), Vanessa Muelhausen (EU Migration Task Force, Lesvos), Thomas Papakonstantinou (Social Anthropologist), Eleni Takou (Human Rights 360)
12.00 – 12.15 COFFEE BREA
12:15-12.30 War and migration: The management of Ukrainian refugees influx to Poland – Patrycja Matusz (University of Wroclaw, Poland)
12.30 – 12.45 Discussion
You can register for the workshop by sending an email to: refugeeobservatory@aegean.gr