Aid cuts are impacting organisations in Greece that support refugee women facing violence. Shelters are closing, services shrinking. Support is sorely needed.

From Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan to Myanmar, peace remains out of reach. High Commissioner @filippograndi.unhcr.org urges leaders to seize this moment at #UNGA: choose peace over war and end the suffering of millions.

Germany was no longer the EU country that received the most applications, with France and Spain receiving more applications Greece received the most applications per capita: 1 application for every 380 residents. euaa.europa.eu/news-events/...

UNHCR said the law risked penalizing migrants in need of international protection. It suggested the introduction of fast-track asylum procedures could allow for the prompt identification of refugees and non-refugees and their respective administrative treatment. www.reuters.com/world/europe...

The European Convention on Human Rights came into force on #OnThisDay in 1953. All 46 Council of Europe member states have signed up to the #ECHR, an international treaty to protect people’s #HumanRights and fundamental freedoms. How does it work? ⬇️ www.coe.int/en/web/impac...

The world must keep its eyes on Syria.

All she knew was that she had to keep swimming. But what started as a desperate bid for safety turned into history in the making. That’s how Yusra Mardini's courage and determination, from fleeing war in Syria to reaching the Olympics, inspired the @netflix.com film The Swimmers.

The @echr.coe.int issued a new interim measures order on 29/8, indicating to the Greek government not to #deport four Eritrean refugees detained in the Amygdaleza #detention centre since mid-July until they are granted access to #asylum procedures. #Greece rsaegean.org/en/asylum-su... (1/8)

An empowered civil society is one of democracy’s strongest safeguards. www.unhcr.org/gr/en/news/a...

Sharing and remembering: the people, the solidarity, the challenges, the compassion. Open call by @rsaegean.org for a photo exhibition in Mytilene to highlight an historic period for Lesvos, Greece and Europe.

“Although they represented only around 9 percent of the total labor force in 2022, foreign workers have accounted for half of its growth over the past three years” Europe’s economy can’t grow without migrants, Lagarde warns www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Receiving disturbing news of comments by the Greek Migration Minister indicating an audit of several NGOs in direct retaliation for their work defending the rights of refugees. The Ministry should support #HRDs, not target them with arbitrary interference & restrictions.

Humanitarians are a lot of things: committed, resilient, determined. But they should never be a target.

Greece has suspended processing of asylum applications from people arriving by sea from North Africa since July.

Human movement can’t be stopped — but fear can be manufactured. Very insightful opinion article: www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...

“We are right now facing a deadly cocktail of a mix of forced displacement which is on the increase and at the same time financial aid cuts.” ~ UNHCR’s @dominiquehcr.bsky.social warns. 🧵

But is Greece (and, with it, Europe) really on the cusp of a new refugee crisis like the one ten years ago? All the data indicates that it is not. www.msn.com/en-us/news/w...

🚨 Growing concern over the escalating hostile rhetoric against refugees & migrants in Greece — especially after recent arrivals in Crete. Words matter. Dehumanizing language fuels fear & violence. 📢 We call for responsible public discourse. 👉 www.unhcr.org/gr/en/rvrn/c...

UNHCR deeply concerned by Greece’s decision to suspend for 3 months asylum applications from those arriving by boat from North Africa. Measures that deny access to asylum risk compounding the suffering of individuals already in desperate need of protection. www.unhcr.org/gr/en/news/p...

Wenyen Gabriel’s journey began in displacement after his family fled conflict in South Sudan. Resettlement gave them a chance to rebuild their lives. In Geneva, he shared a powerful truth: when refugees are given a chance, they can thrive.

No one chooses to be a refugee. Refugees are the result of our collective failure to make pease, prevent wars, end human rights violations. Read my oped in www.unhcr.org/gr/en/news/s...

Hey, are you still with us? In the face of ongoing wars, humanitarian crises and displacement, the world must not look away. Choose empathy over apathy. Choose solidarity with refugees. #WorldRefugeeDay

At a time of record displacement and shrinking support, we always choose solidarity over silence. This #WorldRefugeeDay, we honour refugees not just with our words, but with action, empathy and unwavering support.

Two years since the Pylos shipwreck in Greece claimed almost 650 lives, hundreds remain missing and families await answers. UNHCR & IOM welcome progress in the investigation and call for timely justice & accountability. This tragedy must not be forgotten. www.unhcr.org/gr/en/news/p...

2015 ➡️ 2025 Forced displacement has almost doubled in the past decade, yet humanitarian resources remain nearly the same. We cannot let these #GlobalTrends continue. 🔗 unhcr.org/global-trends

Everything is connected. 📌 Sudan. Chad. Ethiopia. Mozambique. Somalia. Syria. Yemen. Bangladesh. Just a few countries where people forced to flee by conflict are now hit by extreme weather too. #WorldEnvironmentDay

The world has lost a true master of photography - RIP Sebastião Salgado

For 12 years, Father Solomon, an Eritrean refugee in Greece, was separated from his wife and children. This #DayOfFamilies, we celebrate their long-awaited reunion. But with funding cuts threatening legal support, many families may never get the same chance. www.unhcr.org/gr/en/news/s...

"Ten years ago, I watched the residents of Lesbos welcome refugees. Now the public narrative says this was a mistake, a crime."   Op-ed by Efi Latsoudi, Nansen Refugee Award laureate, 10 years since the Greek shores became a global symbol of solidarity.

The lion’s share of criminalizations were for helping people in distress at sea...

“Let us not let our sea (mare nostrum) be transformed into a desolate sea of death (mare mortuum). Let us stop this shipwreck of civilization!” Lesvos, December 2021 Pope Francis’ unwavering voice for the oppressed—those facing poverty, war, displacement, and loss—will forever inspire us.

This Easter, as we gather with loved ones, let's remember refugees who carry the same hope to be reunited with their families. Their resilience inspires us all. 🌎❤️ #HopeAwayFromHome www.unhcr.org/gr/en/news/s...

The Mediterranean: a graveyard for over 34,000 souls in the past decade. 10 years later, the call remains urgent—rescue lives, provide safe routes, tackle the causes. Let’s not let apathy prevail. www.unhcr.org/europe/news/...

Two years of war in Sudan. Millions displaced. Futures lost. Our colleague UNHCR’s Omer met Sudanese refugees in Chad. He carries their message: “Save Sudan.” It’s time the world listened.

The absence of peace, aid and opportunity in asylum countries is forcing more Sudanese to flee further. Over 70,000 have reached Uganda; others risk dangerous journeys to Europe. While overall numbers remain low, arrivals of Sudanese to Europe rose by 38% in early 2025.

Delighted to welcome to our UNHCR office in Athens reps from the Communications Department of the @swedishmfa.bsky.social Our conversation on the role of comms in creating empathy & solutions for refugees was truly inspiring. 🙏Thank u for the exchange & for Sweden's generous support to refugees.

It’s already happening. Funding cuts have closed nutrition services in 4 out of 7 refugee sites in Ethiopia 80,000 children under 5 are at risk of severe malnutrition. This is preventable. Funding saves lives.

📣The three young #refugees were unanimously found not guilty! On Friday, the ordeal of three young people accused in 2020 of setting fire to the #Moria RIC on #Lesvos #Greece came to a positive end at the Juvenile Court of Mytilene. They had spent 3.5 years in prison. www.efsyn.gr/ellada/dikai...

Tragic shipwreck off the north coast of Lesvos earlier today: 7 lives lost, 23 rescued, and search efforts continue for a missing child. Our thoughts are with the survivors in this heartbreaking moment. Urgent action is needed to prevent more tragedies at sea. www.ertnews.gr/perifereiako...

A deadly quake. A conflict zone. Over 3.5 million and nearly half of them in near the epicenter Myanmar is reeling from a powerful earthquake right at the heart of a humanitarian crisis. UNHCR is ready to respond. Please donate today: unh.cr/67e6cdf90

This is my first Bluesky post. But I am happy to be here to talk about the cause of a lifetime. To shine a light on the experiences of those forced to flee, and of those whose exile ends. To tell you about the work of courageous colleagues, at UNHCR and beyond.

Now is the time for solidarity, not retreat. UN High Commissioner Filippo Grandi on the impact of global aid cuts on refugees. Statement: bit.ly/4kF6ou8

Brutal funding cuts in the humanitarian sector are putting millions of lives at risk. Now is the time for solidarity, not retreat. Read the full statement by @unhcr.org's Filippo Grandi ⬇️ www.unhcr.org/news/press-r...

Security matters but framing it as coming at the expense of aid is a moral & strategic mistake. Aid fosters stability—for Syria, its neighbors, Europe and beyond. Nowhere is this clearer than in population movements. Statement by @unhcr.org chief at #SyriaConf2025 www.unhcr.org/news/speeche...

Syria’s recovery isn’t just about ending conflict. It’s about creating opportunities so families can safely return and rebuild their lives. EU & Member States — now is the time to boost funding and support for reconstruction and reintegration efforts. #SyriaConf2025

UNHCR staff worldwide are working to ensure forcibly displaced and stateless women and girls are protected and recognized as leaders and decision-makers. From legal protections to women-led solutions, this is how their work is making a difference. #ForAllWomenAndGirls #IWD2025

Amid cuts by major countries, the UN is trying to fill the global aid gap. It has described 2025 as a year of "unprecedented levels of suffering." www.dw.com/en/un-releas...

"When refugees find jobs, everyone benefits!" UNHCR Greece is working w/ authorities & local partners to help refugees integrate into the workforce—boosting both the economy and society. Read more in an interview @mariaclaram1.bsky.social gave to @kathimerini.gr www.kathimerini.gr/society/5634...

Three years since the full-scale war in Ukraine began, humanitarian needs are greater than ever. UNHCR has helped millions - but more than 200,000 people have been displaced in just the last six months. With funding uncertainty, life-saving support is at risk. Now is not the time to turn away.