Pasta, rice, biscuits, razor blades, tooth brushes, hygiene articles, drugs, sleeping bags, blankets, socks, raincoats, … estimated ten thousands Athenians passed by Syntagma Square on Sunday and brought bags full of goods for the refugees.
“It was unprecedented, such a huge solidarity” the organizers of the action, the Social Solidarity Network noted on their Facebook page.
The action to collect goods for refugees ended in huge amounts of donations that almost covered the square area opposite of the Greek Parliament.
It was a strong message the economic-crisis-ridden Greeks sent to the wealthy European countries that refuse to do their share of responsibility and take in refugees. The EU Leaders are meeting now in Brussels and the majority of them demands that the “Balkan Route is closed.
I know that also expats living in Athens followed KTG’s call to action last week and brought goods to Syntagma Square. As much as I know, that many expats brought donated items and goods for the refugees following KTG’s earlier call to action for refugees at the port of Piraeus.
Thank you 🙂
You don’t get to be rich by being charitable, or showing humanitarian concerns with actions. Northern Europeans and the USA show their true colours, with their refusal to accept responsibility for the refugee problem that they have helped to create.
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Greeks have much to be proud of, at this moment. I am ashamed to hold a British passport, and also be forced to listen to the ignorant and oft-racist malakies from my compatriots about refugees and EU membership.
Thanks Xenos, xxxs
It was fitting that this occurred on the Greek Orthodox Church’s observance of Meatfare Sunday, when the Gospel Reading specifically addresses this:
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When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (Matthew 25:31-46).
It will remain unreported or even used for demagoguery in the rest of Europe just like lies like “Portugal took only a few hundred” although Lisbon said it can take 6000 more in or that “Turkey is not destroying rubber boat factories”.
But it’s more important for Greece and for refugees that this is happening