The objective of the Observatory is the systematic and comprehensive recording of multiple dimensions of the refugee and migration crisis, both historically and on a daily basis: demographic, economic, institutional, political, religious, and cultural. We are particularly interested in highlighting “from below” the perspectives of the diverse parties involved: migrants and refugees, local communities and humanitarian actors.
The Observatory monitors the evolution of the refugee and migratory phenomena on the Aegean islands and, in particular, the areas that are the main gateways for refugees and immigrants to the European area, such as Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros. The Observatory collects, saves, processes and analyzes primary and secondary data produced by various entities as well as by itself.
In particular, the unpublished or published material that the Observatory collects, categorizes, organizes, digitizes and makes publicly available includes a variety of material related to the refugee crisis: diaries, testimonies, letters, Facebook pages, statistical and other records, institutional regulations, material from the print and electronic press, photographs, videos and other primary and secondary materials collected and made available according to the principles of copyright.
The Repository and the Webpage of the Observatory
The Observatory maintains a digital repository. The main goals of the Repository are to collect, organize, and preserve documents related to the refugee and migratory crisis in the Aegean Sea, and to record and promote relevant studies by members of the Greek and international academic communities.
The Repository also has a dynamic website. Its main functions are to disseminate information on the refugee crisis on a regular, recurrent basis; to make publicly available some of the material collected by the Observatory; and to promote academic debate at the level of the international academic community.
The Observatory's repository is supported by the Greek National Documentation Center, and its website is maintained by the Information Technology Unit of the University of the Aegean.
A space of dialogue
The Observatory of the Refugee and Migration Crisis is a space of reference and dialogue for those studying the refugee and migratory phenomena in the wider Mediterranean. As such, we collaborate with academic and research institutions, humanitarian organizations and migrant and refugee collectivities in Greece and abroad; organize scientific meetings; and strive to provide better organization of research and scientific dialogue on the migration and refugee issue. The Observatory also offers are liable medium for information and a forum for communication and dialogue with displaced people themselves, public administration, humanitarian authorities, as well as local and international publics.