Today we celebrate the Greek revolution of 1821. We commemorate the struggle of our ancestors who, 200 years ago, fought with self-sacrifice and self-denial for the ideals of national independence, freedom and human dignity. We share two stories from the unaccompanied children who stay in METAdrasi’s accommodation facilities and show us how they also try, with spontaneity and at every opportunity, to “grow roots” and feel that the phrase “Best wishes, Greeks” is also about them!
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“I made this for you. We were told at school that it is the 200 years since the revolution”! These were the words of little Ali * from Afghanistan who excitedly brought the caregiver an unexpected and very touching gift. We had asked all the children to draw their country’s flag. Little Ali, after taking crayons and paper, sat at a corner alone and concentrated; after a while he came with a huge smile to show us his drawing: he had made the Greek flag!
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Since the beginning of the week, Leila * expressed her desire to place the Greek flag on our balcony. The people of the accommodation facility were cautious as they weren’t sure if all the children would like this move. Very quickly the answer, as always, came from the children themselves, who managed to find the flag and started insistently asking for help to place it on the balcony. And with enthusiasm and pride they stared at the blue and white flag flowing on their own balcony, that of the accommodation facility for unaccompanied children from different countries. “Looking at them, I once again thought how much these uprooted children need to be part of the society, culture and history of the country they live in” the facility manager says.

* Children’s names have been changed to protect their personal data.