Identity

EUDEC Greece is a regional chapter of EUDEC (European Democratic Education Community), a non-profit organisation that works across Europe. We are active throughout Greece to promote Democratic Education, which is based on two fundamental principles:

the equality, co-responsibility and cooperation of teachers and pupils as to how the school works
the right of students to freely choose the content, the way and the pace of their learning

At the same time, we support initiatives and people who are working to improve the existing educational model and / or create new ones, and help networking between them.

Vision

At the heart of our venture is trust in the growing person and her/his ability to operate in communities. Our vision is a harmonious coexistence between people of all ages, beyond cultural, economic, academic, geographical, social, physical and mental dividing lines. With the guidance of the 5th Article of the Greek Constitution which guarantees to everyone “…the right to develop their personality freely in all aspects that compose it” we believe that when diversity is celebrated and the uniqueness of each person emerges, the optimal individual and collective outcome follows.

AIMS

Promotion

To promote Democratic Education as a sensible educational model for our country, by informing parents, teachers and educational institutes about the basic principles and what they might mean for the teacher, the student, the educational environment and the state.

Legislation

Legislation To establish, in legislation, the right to found and attend democratic schools, as well as other similar alternative education models.

Bridge of knowledge and information

To function as a bridge of knowledge and information between Greece and the rest of Europe regarding Democratic Education

Conferences

To οrganize national and international conferences regarding Democratic Education

Founding and support

To found and support democratic educational structures across the country.

Plan of Action

How are we going to meet our aims? With your help, we hope to realise everything you see below! Find the projects that are already running and how you can contribute HERE

- Team μας

Our team consists of parents, educators, academics and other professionals. Some of us have work experience in democratic schools abroad, as well as attending relevant international conferences, while others are distinguished by years of action in academic research and the implementation of alternative education structures inside and outside the Greek context

We are growing in numbers every day, but here you can meet the founders and first Council of EUDEC Greece.

From left to right, Zoe, Violeta, Stelios, Christiana (today Maro is with us) and Evangelos behind the lens (as always) with Derry Hannam at EUDEC2017, Paris

Evangelos

is a film-maker, media literacy facilitator and an educational activist. He is running a blog about democratic schools for 10 years now. He is working on connecting and networking greek educational initiatives, inviting, hosting and promoting discussion with nomadic unschoolers and homeschoolers.

Maro

used to live in Athens where she grew up and studied Business Administration. She worked many years in educational organisations and founded her own seven years ago. Becoming a mother changed her professional orientation and she returned to school receiving a training in Special Education. Today she lives in Chalkida where she takes care of her 4 children and works only voluntarily with passion for freedom in education and life.

Zoe

has been teaching all ages for 20 years and is a mother. Children teach her a raw, uncompromising respect for human nature. She is a dance and movement practitioner and teacher, the originator of Ensoma and the founder of an inter-age theater collective based on democratic council active in theatre practice and research. Her concerns are freedom of choice in educational matters, open scores, art not only for art’s sake, theatrical alchemy and integrating the arts of movement, sound and touch into education.

Stelios

is a trained engineer and has taught mathematics in 3 continents over 7 years. He attended his first EUDEC conference in 2011 and subsequently worked for one year at Demokratische Schule X. He then spent a year in Asia living a simple farm life and for the past 4 years has moved on to studying and practicing psychotherapy

Violeta

discovered anti-authoritarian education during her studies in the department of Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology in Athens. She observed and experienced a free democratic school (Free School Leipzig) for 7 months, where she got deeply moved by realizing how beautiful and human education and life can be. Became a part of EUDEC community by attending its conferences and building friendships within the network since 2015. Has been translating movies on democratic education in Greek. She is currently studying Physical Theater in Berlin.

Electra

She is a mom, teacher and social entrepreneur and lives in Skiathos island. Her purpose is to offer an oasis of calm and mutual understanding to children through the classroom but also through the social cooperative Joyce 'n' Fun.