SYMBIOSIS

Drawing upon collaborations in education, rights and non-discrimination in the Balkans and Greece since 2003, Symβiosis was founded in May 2011 in Thessaloniki. Aiming to bridge theory, practice and policy, Symβiosis focuses on information and education, freedom of expression, public debate and active civic participation, so that people and communities voice their needs and ideas; while it supports intercultural and interfaith dialogue and political education to strengthen social cohesion, understanding between different cultures and acceptance of diversity. In the current climate of crisis, reasserting the importance of fundamental rights for all, and developing vibrant civic institutions has become a pressing priority. Symβiosis works towards establishing partnerships among civil society organisations, collectivities and networks focusing on equality, participatory democracy and social justice, and on combatting discrimination based on ethnic and religious affiliation, gender and social conditions. Symβiosis advocates for the political, social, and economic participation of migrants and vulnerable communities at the local, national and European levels, and for the inclusion of marginalised groups and the young in the public sphere.