Moderator: Sofia Papadopoulou Journalist/Editor-in-chief, Full member of the Editors’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), the International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists and Active member of the Association of Balkan News Agencies-SE Europe since 1999 and the Mediterranean Alliance of News Agencies (AMAN)

Biography:

Journalist/Editor-in-chief

Fields of journalistic interest: Diplomatic affairs, energy, migration.

Studied Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (graduated in 1996) and pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Cairo/Department of Political Science (Scholarship awarded by the Ministry of National Education and Religion of the Hellenic Republic, 1997-1999).

Attended intensive Arabic language and cultural studies at the University of Jordan (Language Center), in Amman (September 1996-June 1997) and worked as an assistance to the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Greece & head of the Hellenic Foundation of Culture in Cairo (Costis Moskov) in 1997-1998.

Host of different radio shows at PRAKTOREIO FM, the radio station of ANA-MPA based in Thessaloniki (2016 to today). Previously, news reporter at radio PARATIRITIS (1996).

Worked as a freelancer and/or fixer for different foreign media during the migrant crisis in Idomeni (The Guardian, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network/BIRN, the Swedish TV, NPR’s radio documentary This American Life etc).

Awarded a fellowship by the German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States (2011) within the framework of «Young Leaders» program.

Full member of the Editors’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), the International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists. Active member of the Association of Balkan News Agencies-SE Europe since 1999 and the Mediterranean Alliance of News Agencies (AMAN).

Speaks English, Arabic, Italian and French. Currently studies German and Turkish.

Garyfalia Anastasopoulou Assistant Coordinator at National Network for Recording Incidents of Racist Violence

Biography:

Garyfallia Anastasopoulou has been an Assistant Coordinator of the Racist Violence Recording Network in Greece, since 2020. She has eleven years of working experience in government bodies, CSOs and UNHCR in Greece for the implementation of reception and integration policies for migrants and refugees, including activities for combating hate crime and strengthening targeted communities.

Vassilis Kerasiotis Human Rights Lawyer, HIAS

Biography:

Vassilis Kerasiotis is a human rights lawyer registered in supreme courts in Greece and has been the country director of HIAS Greece for 6 years. Under his leadership, HIAS Greece has extended its legal services to support cases of criminalization of search and rescue at sea and to victims of hate crimes. Kerasiotis has been working to advance the human rights of migrants in Greece. He was the Legal Representative of the applicants in the ECHR ‘Chowdury and 42 Others vs. Greece’, which was the first emblematic case of trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation in Greece.

Hester Moore HIAS Global Director of Gender & GBV programs

Biography:

Hester Moore joined HIAS this year as the new director of gender and gender-based violence (GBV) programs, where they will leverage their experience in legal, protection, and advocacy programming for refugee communities in international contexts. Hester is a leading voice on community-based protection interventions in areas of GBV, inclusive policy, and the empowerment of queer voices in global humanitarian and development spaces. 

Stavros Mpoufidis Member of the Greek Transgender Support Association

Biography:

Stavros Boufidis is Psychiatrist – Psychotherapist, Member of the Hellenic Psychiatric Association, Co-Founder – Scientific Associate of the Special Clinic for Sleep Disorders – 1st Department of Neurology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2000-2013), Secretary of the Intercultural Department of the Hellenic Psychiatric Association, and Member of the Transgender Support Association. He has a rich activist and volunteer background working with several NGOs, collectives and solidarity movements, supporting more vulnerable population groups such as refugees, victims of torture, victims of human trafficking, homeless people, LGBTQI+ persons with continuous and diverse active participation from 1993 until today, while as a psychiatrist he also recommended the depsychiatrization of trans persons  within the context of the legal recognition of gender identity in Greece (law 4491/2017). He was Vice President of the Board of Directors of Médecins Sans Frontières – Greece (2002-2005), Secretary General of the Board of the Medical Center for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Other mal-treatment, Thessaloniki (2000-2003) and Member of the seven-member interdisciplinary committee of the Ministry of Health for gender identity for persons aged 15-17 years (2017-2019). He created and managed the first shelter for hosting / protection of victims of trafficking / victims of domestic violence in Thessaloniki (2004-2010) in collaboration with the Medical Center for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Other Ill-Treatment.

Georgios Tsitiridis Roma Officer SolidarityNow

Biography:

Ο Γιώργος Τσιτιρίδης είναι κάτοικος Θεσσαλονίκης, δημοσιογράφος, ακτιβιστής, γνωστός για τους αγώνες του υπέρ των μειονοτήτων. Ιδρυτικό μέλος του LGBT Thessaloniki Film Festival αλλά και εκδότης δύο free press, του «Screw» και του «Fagazine», προσανατολισμένα στα δικαιώματα της lgbtq+ κοινότητας. Με αφορμή την εθελοντική του δράση στον «Φάρο του Κόσμου» και την  ενασχόληση του με την προάσπιση των Δικαιωμάτων των Ρομά είναι ο δημιουργός του βιβλίου «Οι τσιγγάνοι της Θεσσαλονίκης». Η εθελοντική του δράση μπορεί να εντοπιστεί ακόμα από την συνεισφορά του στην ίδρυση του Thessaloniki Pride με το πρώτο κάλεσμα για την δημιουργία του, την υποστήριξη των δύο μεγάλων άτυπων εθελοντικών δικτύων της Θεσσαλονίκης Thess-Diktio και Select Respect καθώς και την καθοδήγηση νέων της Ρομά κοινότητας στην επαγγελματική τους σταδιοδρομία. Κείμενά του έχουν δημοσιευτεί σε πολλά περιοδικά και site, τα τελευταία δέκα χρόνια αρθρογραφεί για την Parallaximag. Είναι υπεύθυνος προγραμμάτων Ρομά και LGBT στο SolidarityNow.