Children are children and the world is small
Educating children about refugee crises through interactive workshops
Mission
“Faces of Our World” is an educational initiative that aims to connect young people through art and hopes to foster understanding about refugee crises around the world. Our art workshops focus on self-expression and, in particular, creating self-portraits that are then exchanged with other children.
Faces of Our World works in close cooperation with The HOME Project in Greece. The HOME Project cares for refugee children coming from many different countries who have been separated from their families. These children have shared with us their self-portraits and stories of themselves. By showing these portraits to other children in classrooms and other educational settings, along with facts about refugees, we hope that a connection can be made and empathy built.
Over five hundred children have participated in Faces of Our World activities in schools, after-school programs, and libraries around the world.
About Us
Anastasios Hadjipateras Founder/President
I was born in Greece and then moved to New York City when I was seven years old. Now I am a high schooler on Long Island. Having lived in two different countries has given me a global perspective which I try to share with my peers. I became interested in the refugee crisis when I first visited a HOME Project shelter when I was fourteen. Meeting some of the kids and the people who cared for them made a profound impact on me. Despite our different life experiences, I realized that I had a lot in common with the refugee teens (like our passion for soccer and Giannis Antetokounmpo). I was inspired to learn more about the refugee crisis and tried to figure out a small way to contribute. Faces of Our World combines my interest in education, psychology, and global affairs.
Thalia Ferro Artistic Director
My name is Thalia, and I attend Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am half Greek and feel very connected to my Greek heritage. I serve as the president of the Greek Heritage Club at Pine Crest. I enjoy studying art history, literature, and creative writing, and have spent recent summers studying curation and building virtual exhibitions with a curator who is a Visiting Critic at Rhode Island School of Design. I first became involved with Faces of Our World as its Artistic Director. I believe art is a great way to build bridges across communities and cultures. At The HOME Project in Athens, Greece, I was able to spend time with the children living there, each of whom has their own story about how they left their home country, and their family, and made their way to Greece. Last summer, I worked at three shelters for teenagers and young mothers, where I led art projects. Through Faces of Our World, I work to spread awareness about refugees.
Kleo Triphyllis Vice President
My name is Kleo and I am a high school student at St. Catherine’s British School in Athens. Since I live in Greece, I have come face to face with the refugee crisis and have been exposed and talked to about the problem from a very young age. I have always wanted to help people, and since refugees are a huge minority in my country, I want to help them the most. Refugees have gone through so much and that’s why it is such an honour to be a part of this wonderful project that aims to bring children of all backgrounds and communities together. We may live in different conditions, we may have different interests, and we may be from a different culture, but despite all these differences, we have one common aim which is to unite and bring people closer together.
Adriana Moretti UK Ambassador
My name is Adriana, and I have been brought up in a very multicultural environment living in the UK with a Greek mother and an American father. I attend Godolphin and Latymer, a secondary school in London. The refugee crisis has impacted all three countries that I am linked to and is a prominent humanitarian issue in all of them. Growing up in London, the most diverse city in Europe, I have been constantly surrounded by people of different ethnicities and backgrounds. I have always been interested in the similarities between people (especially children) and how to bring them together. This is the reason I feel so passionate and privileged to be part of this project, and I look forward to bringing Faces of Our World to Godolphin and Latymer and other schools in London.