Harvard students visiting Greece as part of a summer school on the rights of refugees and migrants were welcomed yesterday at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum by the Secretary General for the Reception of Asylum Seekers, Manos Logothetis.

Mr. Logothetis, referring to the Ministry's mission, presented the reception and asylum procedures. He emphasized the new reception system with structures of European standards, the special care that vulnerable groups receive during their stay in the accommodation facilities, as well as the faster and more rational processing of asylum applications.

He stressed that today, in Greece, the landscape of migration/refugee issues is radically different, as after 2019 a completely new holistic and innovative reception model was launched. The new reception model makes effective use of technology and maximizes management capacity, thus providing decent living conditions and respect for human rights. 

The recognition of the complex reality of the issue, he added, does not invalidate the humane dimension as Greece has finally left behind anarchic structures. Greece cares for people and their needs, designs and provides realistic and sustainable solutions with responsibility.

The Secretary General for the Reception of Asylum Seekers also referred to the Ministry's cooperation with international organizations and non-government organizations, while he answered a series of questions from the students.

The Harvard students, who are visiting Greece as part of the summer school on the rights of refugees and migrants- in the context of the cooperation between the leading American university and the University of Athens, were also given a tour of the Schistos reception facility, where they were welcomed by the Director of the facility, Thomas Papakonstantinou.