Press Release
07/07/2026
Through refugee-related initiatives, projects can be developed that benefit local communities: Inauguration of two modern beach volleyball courts
A modern and accessible sports facility for the entire local community of Mytilene, with a particular focus on children and young people, was inaugurated on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Tsamakia Beach.
“The beach volleyball courts in Lesvos, like the other projects implemented through ‘Together in Sport’, are a good example of how refugee-related initiatives can lead to lasting projects that benefit local communities,” said METAdrasi President Lora Pappa at the inauguration event.
As the Mayor of Mytilene, Mr Panagiotis Christofas, also emphasized: “Today, we are not simply inaugurating a modern sports facility; we are inaugurating a space for gathering, exercise, recreation, and engagement with the wider community.”
The very next day after the inauguration, the “Mytilene Open” tournament got underway, having been included in the official 2026 calendar of the Panhellenic Beach Volleyball Championship. At the same time, dozens of refugee children are expected to take part in organized training sessions alongside children from the local community.
As Deputy Mayor for Sports, Mr Sokratis Giakoumis, aptly noted, we are seeing society search once again for its values, and “through sport, we can gradually rediscover them.”
Through “Together in Sport”, more than 23,000 refugee children and children from local communities have taken part in sports and cultural activities. In addition to the beach volleyball courts in Mytilene, similar projects were carried out in Ioannina, with the creation of an outdoor, fully equipped gym park, and in Kavala, with the renovation of a basketball court.
“Together in Sport – Phase II” is implemented by METAdrasi (project coordinator), the Hellenic Olympic Committee, and the German Olympic Sports Confederation, with co-funding from the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
