President Sakellaropoulou visits hostel for unaccompanied migrant children in Athens

The protection and care of persecuted children is the obligation of every society that respects human rights," President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou said on Friday, during her visit to a hostel run by the Society for the Care of Minors and Youth.

In a visit marking International Migrants Day, Sakellaropoulou visited House2 run by the society in Athens, where she was received by Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi, the Special Secretary for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors Irene Agapidaki and the Society's president, Yiannis Aretaios.

The president was shown around by the head of the centre, Dimitra Adamantidou, and the hostel coordinator, Irene Hazapi, and briefed on the strategies for the integration of the children into Greek society and the difficulties they face, as many have a difficult history and are very vulnerable.

"It is our most basic obligation to give these uprooted children a chance to heal their wounds and the prospects of a decent life," Sakellaropoulou said, while she had meetings with the 15 children at the hostel, aged six to 18 years old, in groups of three. The children thanked her for the presents she offered and gave her drawings they had made in honour of her visit.