Olga Lafazani
HONORARY MEMBER
Greece
Olga Lafazani is an activist who deals with the challenging situation of migrants arriving in Greece. She studied Economic and Regional Development at Panteion University in Athens, and over the last few years, has participated in several research projects, including one on the city and migrants (“Interesting patterns of every-day life and socio-spatial transformations in the city. Migrant and local women in the neighbourhoods of Athens”, National Polytechnic University). In March 2016, after the clearing out of Victory Square, a meeting place for migrants in Athens, hundreds of people were left without a roof over their heads and a place to live. On 22 April 2016, Lafazani along with a hundred activists and refugees occupied the City Plaza Hotel in Athens, which had been closed for seven years, with the sole objective of providing housing to homeless migrants. For 39 months, the hotel was home to about 400 migrants who had rooms and common areas at their disposal to lead a dignified life. In July 2019, City Plaza guests finally received official housing within the city of Athens. Olga Lafazani was present during the occupation and still works daily in defense of the rights of migrants and solidarity cities.