


The end of the year is an opportunity to review activities, redesign and develop new initiatives. Wind of Renewal is in this process, entering its 6th anniversary, although it looks like we have already closed a few decades while operating. During these years we have achieved rich work on social innovation and economy, climate protection, energy transition and energy model change. Our work reflects on all 5 of the European distinctions we have received over the years for our work. But what seems outward is only a small part of the energy and soul-giving we are giving.
2019 was a difficult but also an exciting year for the Wind of Renewal, the social partnership we created with a small group of people willing to contribute to the changes that our society and world need. We have had many difficulties but continue to be empowered or start new interesting activities and approaches that have significant social and ecological impact.
The WELCOMMON Refugee Center was closed at the end of February 2018, after 1.5 years of operation, because, as we were told, “no such innovation-based transition centers were needed” (our model was based on empowerment through creation of communities) and the Funding for housing of vulnerable refugees stopped. We were financially covered all the remaining integration and empowerment programs that were demanding and innovative. It was expected that the “big refugee centers” would close (WELCOMMON was treated like a… camp, Schisto or Moria!). We were closed and all refugees had to move to apartments and find their way there. During the operation of the centre, we hosted in a cooperative spirit, in a community based model, around 160 refugees -a total of 600 people over a period of 1.5 years- , from 22 ethnicities, who spoke 14 languages and dialects and represented almost all major religions. They were some of the most vulnerable among refugees. It is no coincidence that we have hosted very vulnerable people (victims of rape, trafficking, people with disabilities, serious health problems or even cancer, severe psychological or even psychiatric problems, single parent families with many children, the majority being women and children, while 41 healthy children were born during the operation of our center!).
But most importantly for our model, WELCOMMON (Welcome in Common, that is, not only for refugees but also #withrefugees and with / for the local community) was the empowerment of refugees through the creation of a “community” , through art therapy, the participation of refugees themselves in the operation of the center as well as in actions to improve the neighborhood or to help other people of all backgrounds. It was for many a new beginning – and on a solid basis in their lives – no just an occasion to sleep in a decent place and eat a plate of food:
It is no coincidence that even today we receive hundreds of visitors from every continent who want to know about our “experiment” or that it has become a “source” for university education, research and analysis.
When the housing program stopped abruptly, despite the shock we experienced from such a sharp decision because we had to close the innovative center within 40 days, move all visiting refugees to places they did not know or did not want to go, lose an experienced personnel of 30 people, think about what we would do with the huge building that we had rented for social purpose and we had spent a lot of money to make it safe and decent.
From WELCOMMMON center for refugees towards an innovative WELCOMMON HOSTEL with social and ecological impact
Despite the financial and other difficulties we faced, we decided to create and implement within 3 months – without the staff, grants, funding and time needed – a social entrepreneurship project that could ensure financial sustainability and have a positive social and ecological impact , to continue our project but also combine it with green innovation.
So, we designed and implemented an innovative Hostel – WELCOMMON HOSTEL – aiming for a sustainable tourism model. We want to host as clients tourists, travelers groups, schools, universities and individuals who seek their own journey to leave a positive rather than a negative, social impact. That is what we call sustainable tourism. At the same time, WELCOMMON HOSTEL wanted to be transformed into a center of social empowerment and integration, green and social innovation, intercultural dialogue, new creative and functional solutions to social and ecological problems, a space for culture and expression.
And we can say that, despite the difficulties and obstacles, or sometimes the cynicism and indifference that we encounter and gives rise to feelings of frustration, we are on a very good road today.
The next day…
We have many plans for this coming year and the next decade, starting from 1/1/2020, on sustainable tourism, social inclusion and empowerment, social entrepreneurship, social and green innovation, fossil fuel independency, transition to renewable energy, education on social and environmental sustainability, job creation in the social and green sectors.
We are extending the very important experience and educational material on climate action and energy saving in schools under the EUKI “Climate Schools Be.Ath (Athens-Berlin) program and in new schools of various areas, combining a pedagogical approach and technical suggestions.
We are all involved (clients, volunteers, refugees, friends) in climate actions.
Almost all of our clients are actively supporting our choices for a sustainable tourism model that contributes to reducing the ecological footprint and empowering the local community while rejecting discrimination and exclusion.
We are gradually converting WELCOMMON HOSTEL not only into a social space, but also into a greener hostel that, step by step, reduces dependence on fossil fuels (oil) and becomes more and more “solar“. It is not an easy way but we have already started with the reduction of oil use with the immediate aim of reducing the use of oil for heating water by at least 80%. The next phase is to heat and cool the building (3200 square meters, capacity of 167 people in separate rooms of 2,3,4 people or dormitories of 4 or 8 people) with natural systems as well as generate as much electricity as possible from renewable sources.
We apply a waste minimizing system, especially reducing one-way plastics, increasing seperation at source and recycling, while the whole WELCOMMON HOSTEL was based on a rational upcycling and re-use, which is actually an example of how we can combine reuse with high quality aesthetic effect and functionality.
We are involved or working with many European and international networks, universities, social agencies across the globe and we are part of the change we want to see happen, not just talk about it.
ANEMOΣ ΑΝΑNEΩΣΗΣ / WIND of RENEWAL (social cooperative for social – green economy)
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WELCOMMON HOSTEL, an innovative hostel with social and green impact
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Young students from 33 countries all over Europe will travel to Brussels to discuss #ClimateChange & the future of our planet. It is the 11th edition of the #youth plenary event which will take place on 19-20th of March 2020! Climate change is on everyone’s mind, and young people all over the globe are mobilising to save the planet. The European Economic and Social Committee is joining the movement and asking the young participants at YEYS for the best way forward in protecting our planet. This year’s event will model an international climate change conference (COP).
The Committee is interested in hearing students’ fresh ideas on how to deal with the current climate crisis and how to come closer to meeting the 2050 climate-neutral ambitions. Students will be asked to represent a country and negotiate with each other, in order to come up with recommendations to stop climate change. These recommendations will be submitted to international environment policy-makers and discussed at conferences around Europe throughout the year. During YEYS, the students will also be put in contact with international youth organisations that will help them translate these recommendations into concrete measures and make their voice heard.
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