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History
ANTIGONE - Information & Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non Violence is a non governmental organisation based in Thessalonica with offices in Athens. Since 1995 it is active in issues concerning human rights, ecology, peace and non-violent conflict resolution in close cooperation with the "Ecological Movement" of Thessalonica.
The EUMC launched in February 2001 on the basis of a comprehensive European consultation process an open call for the establishment of National Focal Points in the 27 EU Member States. On the basis of a thorough selection procedure ANTIGONE was selected in June 2001 as the official National Focal Point for Greece for a period of 3 years ending in December 2003. In March 2004 ANTIGONE was selected once more to act as the official National Focal Point for Greece.
ANTIGONE has collected information and created a database with information on all organisations and national actors active in the fight against racism and xenophobia in Greece. The results of this "mapping exercise" have been published on the internet and can be accessed either at the EUMC webpage.
In May 2001, the EUMC assigned the ANTIGONE with the task of writing the Annual Report 2000 for the member states of Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The Annual Report was published on December 19, 2001 and is available on the internet www.eumc.eu.int.
In September 2001, National Focal Points started the process of collecting data on employment, education, legislation and racial violence simultaneously in all member states. The scientific analysis of the data is continuing and the first results are expected in the summer of 2003.
In September 2001, following the terrorist attacks on New York the EUMC assigned the National Focal Points with a new task of setting up a "Rapid Response and Evaluation Mechanism" that has been added to their mandate. The first request concerned a series of reports on the effects of the terrorist attacks and the ensuing political events on the situation of the Muslim communities in member states. ANTIGONE has produced four reports (19-11-01, 15-10-01, 23-11-01 and 15-01-02), two of which have already been published on the internet (www.eumc.eu.int). Several other requests from among others the European Parliament and other European level organisations have already been dealt with.
In 2002 the National Focal Points were asked to produce in-depth Analytic Studies on the following topics: Employment, Education, Legislation and Racial Violence. In addition to these studies, two Case Studies were produced, one of an example of "Good Practice" in the fight against racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism, and one of an example of "Bad Practice".
In 2003 the National Focal Points updated the four thematic reports and added one more topic to those already studies: Housing.
Since January 2002 ANTIGONE organises an annual National Round Table. The first was held in December 2 & 3 at the Hellenic Research Foundation with the topic "Transposition of the Race and Equality Directives". Government representatives, public officials, academics, NGOs and migrant and minority organisations participated in the event. In December 17 2004 ANTIGONE organised its second successful National Round Table with the topic "Discrimination against immigrants and LGBT in a constantly evolving European context". In December 7, 2005, the 4th National Round Table of “ANTIGONE” took place under the title “Social Inclusion and the “outsider”. In December 13, 2006, the 5th National Round Table of “ANTIGONE” took place under the title "Issues of discrimination against vulnerable social groups in the fields of Education and Housing in Greece".
In autumn 2004 “ANTIGONE” launched a series of seminars in a purpose of informing members of migrant communities about their new important rights as guaranteed by the Racial Equality Directive and the Employment Directive. Moreover, “ANTIGONE” participates in press conferences concerning issues of discrimination and in various Antiracist Festivals in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities, where it disseminates its own material along with the most recent EUMC publications.
Some of the projects that ANTIGONE has successfully carried out, or is still implementing, are the following:
- Community Action Programme to Combat Discrimination 2001-2006, DG Employment and Social Affairs, Grant Agreement VS/2002/0255, Accounting No: SI2.338720 for the Project: “Minority representation in Police Organisations – Transnational Measures for Exchange of Information and Good Practice”
- 5th Framework, DG Research, CONTRACT No: HPSE- C1-F2002-00130, "Dual Citizenship, Governance and Education: A Challenge to the European Nation-State"
- EUMC Call for Tender Ref. No. 2003/02/03, budget line 3207, “Migrants’ experiences of racism and discrimination”
- LEONARDO DA VINCI, Community Action Programme on Vocational Training, Procedure B, Second phase: 2000- 2006, AGREEMENT No:2004 A/04/B/F/PP-158.130, “Pre-Qualification for Migrant Women in the Health and Care Sectors”
- Community Action Programme to Promote Active European Citizenship (civic participation), DG EAC, Agreement No 0 603/001-001, “It’s Your Fundamental Right”
- Community Action Programme to Combat Social Exclusion, INTI Preparatory Actions 2005, DG Justice Freedom and Security, Direction B : Immigration, asylum and borders, project “Integration of Female Migrant Domestic Workers: Strategies for Employment and Civic Participation”
- Budget Heading B2-1630 (Article 6 of the European Social Fund Regulation), "Local Employment Strategies and Innovation in the Prefecture of Thessalonica”, co-ordinated by the Prefecture of Thessalonica.
- Grundtvig 2 Learning Partnerships, Socrates Programme, Education and Culture, project title: “echanges d’ experiences et de pratiques dans les maisons de retraite en Europe"
- Youth Programme, Action 1 , Multilateral exchange, “Young People Active in Civil Society”
- Youth Programme – Action 5.1.2 , Support measures with Partner Countries, DG EAC No 47/05, project: “A Common World – Sharing best practices on intercultural education”
In the context of its function as RAXEN NFP, ANTIGONE has undertaken more than 20 studies on racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the sectors of employment, education, legislation, racial violence and housing in Greece.
