The work of UNHCR for refugees in Greece (1952-1963) and the cooperation with the Greek Government
The work of UNHCR for refugees in Greece (1952-1963) and the cooperation with the Greek Government
4.01 MFA 16 June 1952 The Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sophocles Venizelos, informs the Greek Ministry of Social Welfare that, following an appeal by the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, for Greece's contribution to the Refugee Emergency Assistance Fund, the government has decided to allocate 1,000 dollars. |
4.02 UNHCR 19 July 1952 Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, first United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees addresses a letter to the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sophocles Venizelos, seeking the Greek Government’s support to UNHCR’s activities concerning the integration of refugees. |
4.03 UNHCR 27 October 1952 Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees addresses a letter to the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, regarding the economic and social integration of refugees seeking the Greek Government’s support to UNHCR’s activities regarding these issues. |
4.04 MFA 15 December 1952 The Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations, Alexis Kyrou, emphasizes the continued need for UNHCR's assistance to Greece in matters related to refugees and stateless persons, despite the reductions in UNHCR’s budget. |
4.05 MFA 12 November 1952 Following a meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, M.P. Goutos, the Secretary-General of the Greek Ministry of Social Welfare, advocates for the need of employing Greek staff within UNHCR and endorses the candidacy of Stefanos Xydis, a former UN employee. |
4.06 MFA 31 January 1953 Ambassador Nikolaos Chatzivasileiou, the Permanent Representative of Greece to the International Organizations in Geneva, informs the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the funding allocated by UNHCR for refugees in Greece will be lower than initially projected, as the overall budget of UNHCR seems to be considerably smaller than anticipated. Nonetheless, UNHCR expressed its continued interest in supporting the programmes implemented in Greece. |
4.07 MFA 19 December 1953 The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the Greek Ministries of Social Welfare and of the Interior that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr. G. J. van Heuven Goedhart, will arrive in Greece on 16 January 1954 and will stay for three days, to visit refugee camps in the country. |
4.08 MFA 23 December 1953 Note Verbale with which the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Greece, informs that the High Commissioner, Dr. G. J. van Heuven Goedhart will arrive in Athens on 17 January 1957. |
4.09 MFA 26 January 1954 Vladimir Temnomeroff, the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Greece, thanks the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its cooperation during the visit of the High Commissioner, Dr. G. J. van Heuven Goedhart to Greece. |
4.10 UNHCR 8 May 1954 The Hellenic Branch of the International Social Service informs the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about "interesting" developments regarding the employment of refugees in Greece, as the Greek Prime Minister, Alexandros Papagos, instructed all Ministries to prioritize refugees of Greek origin when employment opportunities arise within each Ministry's respective sector. The Greek Ministry of Coordination would contribute to this endeavour by providing lists of refugees including their qualifications, to facilitate the selection of employment. The English translation of the Greek Prime Minister’s relevant document is attached. |
4.11 MFA 24 October 1954 The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations informs the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Greece's Representative to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, Lina Tsaldaris, presented the Committee's report on the High Commissioner’s for Refugees report to the General Assembly. The document to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs also highlights that the High Commissioner unequivocally assured L. Tsaldaris that in the following year, special attention and priority would be given to the Greek matters pertaining to refugees. Additionally, the Turkish Representative also expressed support for promoting the Greek matters. |
4.12 MFA 9 November 1954 The Greek Minister of Coordination, Athanasios Kapsalis, notifies the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that the Greek Government is willing to provide financial support for a resettlement programme targeting refugees of Greek origin. Additionally, he includes a detailed plan for the programme, emphasizing that funding should be mobilized from both domestic and international sources. The plan encompasses various aspects such as loans to support the professional integration of refugees, vocational training programmes, agricultural equipment provision, housing construction, and more. |
4.13 UNHCR 1 March 1955 UNHCR Press Release on the implementation of its scheme, which involves providing pre-tubercular treatment to eighty refugee children in Greece. Out of these, forty will receive it in Switzerland, while the remaining forty will receive it in Greece. Various institutions support the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in organizing the scheme, including the Swiss Red Cross, which covers the treatment expenses, the Theosophical Society which covers a feeding programme, and the U.S. Air Command in Greece which provides free air transportation to Switzerland. |
4.14 MFA 6 July 1955 Vladimir Temnomeroff, the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Greece, requests from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide data, on a biannual basis, about the refugee centres in Greece, which he further listed. |
4.15 UNHCR 1 August 1955 UNHCR Press Release announcing that the Greek Government has decided to donate 30 tons of raisins to the United Nations Refugee Fund (UNREF), to be distributed to refugees in need, regardless of whether they are within Greek territory or not. It is highlighted that this contribution is the first in-kind donation to UNREF. |
4.16 MFA 16 May 1956 The Directorate for Personnel of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs appoints the diplomat Aristotelis Frydas, Head of the Ministry’s Department for the UN, to accompany the members of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, during their visit to the refugee centres in Syros and Tinos. |
4.17 MFA 30 December 1957 The Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Evangelos Averoff, appoints Vyron Theodoropoulos, who later became an Ambassador and held various positions including Secretary-General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the Representative of Greece at the meeting of the UNHCR’s Executive Committee in Geneva, in January 1958. |
4.18 MFA 16 March 1955 The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations informs the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the progress of Greece's candidacy in UNHCR’s Executive Committee and the high likelihood of its success, attributed also to the priority that the High Commissioner had given to rehabilitation of refugees in Greece. |
4.19 MFA 5 April 1955 The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations informs the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Economic and Social Council has elected Greece as a member of UNHCR’s Executive Committee. |
4.20 MFA 26 April 1955 The Greek Minister of Coordination, Panagis Papaligouras, informs the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the composition of the Greek Delegation to the upcoming conference of UNHCR’s Executive Committee. The Head of the Greek Delegation is Lina Tsaldaris, President of the Patriotic Institute for Social Welfare and Awareness. |
4.21 MFA 10 May 1955 The Permanent Greek Delegation to the International Organizations in Geneva informs the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Lina Tsaldaris has been elected as Vice-President of UNHCR’s Executive Committee. |
4.22 (Photo) UNHCR Lina Tsaldaris (1887-1981). Greek politician. She held various positions including President of the Patriotic Institute for Social Welfare and Awareness, Rapporteur of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, Vice-President of UNHCR’s Executive Committee, and Member of Parliament (1956-1961). She was the first Greek woman to be appointed a Minister (Greek Minister of Social Welfare, 1956-1958). |
4.23 MFA 7 March 1957 A. R. Lindt, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, informs the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs about his intention to visit Athens on 29 March 1957, in order to discuss the progress of UNHCR’s projects in Greece, and to assist in resolving any issues related to the completion of their implementation. |
4.24 MFA 15 March 1957 The Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, E. Averoff, reassures A. R. Lindt, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, that his visit to Athens is welcomed by the Greek Government and looks forward to the ongoing collaboration between the UNHCR and the Greek Government. |
4.25 MFA 29 March 1957 The programme for the visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, A. R. Lindt, to Greece. |
4.26 UNHCR 15 September 1959 The UNHCR Representative in Greece, V.A.M. Beermann, requests the Organization's Headquarters in Geneva to send a member of UNHCR’s Legal Service to be the main speaker at an event planned by the Branch Office in Greece. The purpose of this event is to provide information about the content of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees to volunteer organizations operating in the country. |
4.27 UNHCR 7 May 1963 Fred C. Bruhns, the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Greece, expresses gratitude to the Greek Minister of Social Welfare, Konstantinos Tsatsos, for the Greek Government’s contribution of $80,000 to UNHCR. At the end of the letter, it is highlighted that UNHCR’s Branch Office in Athens is well aware "that our work is being greatly facilitated by the sincere and dynamic spirit of cooperation which you and your Ministry have so often shown us in endeavouring to complete our common task of refugee establishment". |
4.28 UNHCR 7 February 1962 Government Gazette (Government Gazette A21/1962) in which Law 4223/1962 "concerning the rehabilitation of refugees under the responsibility of the United Nations and other categories" is published. |
4.29 UNHCR 14 May 1954 The first page of the Agreement between UNHCR and the World Council of Churches for funding programmes in the refugee centres in Syros and Tinos. |
4.30 UNHCR 13 July 1954 (15 June) The first page of the Agreement between UNHCR and the Municipality of Lavrio for funding the meals for 45 refugee children living in the area. |
4.31 UNHCR 16 November 1955 The first page of an Agreement between UNHCR and the Greek Government for the provision of arable land and assistance for the rural settlement of 50 refugee families in Vigla, in the prefecture of Arta. |
4.32 (Photo) UNHCR Photo of refugees in Vigla (July 1959), in their new house, built as a result of a relevant program of the Greek Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. |
4.33 UNHCR 19 December 1957 The first page of an Agreement between UNHCR and the Greek Government for the provision of assistance to 85 refugee university students to complete their studies, covering expenses for tuition, transportation, books, library services, etc. |
4.34 UNHCR 19 December 1957 The first page of an Agreement between UNHCR and the Greek Government for the establishment of a community centre and school for refugee families in Vigla. |
4.35 UNHCR 12 December 1958 The first page of an Agreement between UNHCR and the Greek Government for the provision of housing and special assistance to 19 refugee families. |
4.36 MFA 9 August 1963 The first page of the draft Agreement between UNHCR and the Greek Government on the provision of housing for refugees in Greece.
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