CULTURE AND MIGRATION

Introduction

Efharis Mascha

Following September 11.2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, the Arab Spring and the proliferation of extremist groups in the Middle East the EU has received a new big wave of refugees and migrants.

According to the Statistical Data of the Greek Asylum Service, since 2013 the Service has received nearly 300.000 applications and only for 2019 the Service received nearly 77.000 applications. The figures speak for themselves as the flux of migrants keeps raising, the international arena is detrimental in terms of security and the European dream of the “golden cage” is within the narrative of every asylum applicant. With regards to social and economic integration, legal provisions by the Greek State are foreseen but not yet in operation.

Hence, the issue in discussion following the entrance of refugees/migrants within the EU borders and being provided the basics such as shelter, health checks, food and their application for international protection is how they will interact/integrate with the local community. Will they continue their journey towards the central EU states or will they remain in Greece? Even the ones who remain in Greece simply for a short time period, they have a minimum or temporary interaction with the local community leave behind them their trace in terms of social relations tight or loose, but significant for their memories and our memory.

Having this picture in mind it is more than necessary to speak for the Cultural organisations and people, who see those people moving or being settled and have decided to use culture and art as a mediator for their integration. Cultural organizations and cultural managers together with educators or museum curators and people working for NGO’s have decided that museum exhibitions and every part of cultural life cannot stand apart from both the life and the living experiences migrants/refugees carry with them. They need to see our culture and history and we need to hear their voice on their culture and their history. This is a fruitful exchange, which can build bridges and break walls

or myths of the stranger who is signified as potentialy invador/intruder or unworthy.

Theoretically speaking there is a broad literature discussing the role of social integration and assimilation or total assimilation of refugees/migrants starting from the field of education to sociology, politics and law. People who enter legally or illegally another country create new social relations within the existing social fabric and can be altering or destroying past social norms. The moment an old social norm is altered, tensions are easily created and xenophobic sentiments sprung. It is by no means imperative these groups not to be left alone but make sustainable efforts towards their creative engagement with the existing social order. Cultural exchange is a way through this.

The aim of this book is to portray these attempts to use culture as a medium for social integration. It consists of a selection of research works mostly run by Master and PhD researchers and contains both qualitative and quantitative data. We aim to provide an academic approach to the field of integration through culture and at the same time a practical guide for practitioners who work on the field of refugees/migrants and need a know-how on organizing cultural activities or participating on cultural activities run by refugees. Having collected their material and relied on different disciplines such as law, sociology, history and politics the authors made an attempt to address the following matters in their contribution:

1. Culture is a medium to social integration

2. Organizing cultural activities

3. The intangible cultural heritage

4. Local communities and their interaction to refugees/migrants

5. Inclusion and integration of refugees/migrants

Structure of the book

The book begins with two contributions looking closer to intangible cultural heritage. Firstly, Tonia Korka’s analysis identifies the gaps within the legal framework of the intangible cultural heritage of refugees. She specifically

points out that the law of armed conflict explicitly regulates the protection of the tangible cultural heritage, and provides a critical analysis of the legal framework regarding intangible cultural heritage. Secondly, Dimitra Kalfopoulou’s contribution consists of a survey, which she conducted in Attica on refugees and asylum seekers through questionnaires regarding their expressions of intangible cultural heritage they have in Greece. These expressions consist of the Shadow play, Falconry, Suri Jagek, Novruz, Maqam and Khidr Elias. Studying such cultural practices can bring us a step forward to the understanding of these communities.

Following the understanding of intangible cultural heritage we move to a set of three contributions looking at cultural activities run by NGO’s, libraries and the communities themselves. Firslty, Katerina Plaka’s contribution presents the cultural activities run by NGO’s in Attica starting with language programs to painting, drawing, dancing and cooking lessons. Organizing various educational and cultural activities raises awareness among the citizens of the host country about the migration/refugee issue and the smooth integration of migrants/refugees into Greek society. Secondly, Angeliki Garoufali discusses how libraries develop new services with a focus on enhancing integration and increasing stable library services to ethnic minorities and identify the potential roles of public libraries in a multi-cultural society. Libraries can and should help, just as they have long helped local populations for years, through providing the spaces and skills to enjoy meaningful access to information and participation in cultural and scientific life. Many libraries around the world have started to design and offer services to immigrants, based on their needs and aiming at their inclusion in the society they chose to settle in. Through a series of programs and services, the Library is helping most recent immigrants find their way in the city. Thirdly, Eleni Rodakinia discusses the custom of “Momoeria” or “Momogeroi”, which is a traditional amateur theatre run by the Pontian expatriate community in Greece. She concludes that popular culture has dealt with traumatic events such as war and migration and helps people heal their wounds and gaze with optimism into the future, preserving their collective memory and identity.

The book continues with three contributions looking closer to museum management. Fistly, Alexandra Vezyrogianni’s contribution looks into the theoretical encounter of cultural intelligence and the way it is implemented by museum managers. According to her survey’s results, nowadays Cultural Intelligence has become a vital ability and skill not only for the business sector but also for cultural organizations. Secondly, Sofia Kokovidou’s contribution touches upon issues of national history and the museum exhibition of the Archeological Museum of Kilkis together with the actions taken by the NGO Omnes. She points out that Greek museums design their activities with

an understanding of integrating and not neglecting the migrants even though Kilkis is a city located at the Greek border. Thirdly, Amalia Kokkinou’s contribution is focused on the need to establish the Hellenic Red Cross Museum. Her study consists of empirical research having conducted interviews with members of the staff and volunteers of the Hellenic Red Cross from all around Greece. The suggested project will unite the international and national experience of Red Cross and will bring out the deep cultural roots of the HRC in Greek society.

After the Hellenic Red Cross Museum Katerina Papadopoulou’s contribution examines the case of the Parthenon sculptures that are housed in the British Museum. She further draws an analogy between these sculptures and refugees.

Our journey ends with Yiorgos Kalomoiris’s contribution, which focuses on the accommodation center for minor refugees in Anogia and the interaction of this small closed community. His approach coincides with the idea elaborated at the ‘Laboratory of Dilemmas’ of the Greek pavilion at the 57th International Art Exhibition in Venice, which was a narrative video installation based on Aeschylus’ theatre play Iketides (Suppliant Women).

Last but not least, it should be noted that all contributions have shed light either theoretically or empirically to the issue of cultural integration. Research and cultural exchange shows that there is already a good basis for cultural integration of refugees and migrants but still a long way to go.

Chapter 1
intangible cultural heritage

I. The intangible cultural heritage of refugees

Tonia Korka

A. Abstract

In times of growing globalization and constant relocations of people, intangible cultural heritage, while fragile, stands as an important factor for the maintenance of cultural diversity. However, the present legal framework for the protection of the intangible cultural heritage of refugees remains unclear. The authorised heritage discourse, which guides the discussions and ultimately the international law on cultural heritage, premiums the tangible at the expense of the intangible. Thus, the law of armed conflict keeps putting the emphasis on the tangible cultural heritage. At the same time, the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the only relevant international convention, is vague regarding the vulnerable intangible cultural heritage of displaced persons and refugees, suggesting that it constitutes a rather delacate issue. Nevertheless, the role that the intangible cultural heritage plays in the refugee camps, as suggested by surveys, proves that it can actually operate as a lifesaver, encouraging the mutual respect for other ways of life.

B. The gaps of the legal framework

In the modern era, the focus of the international community shifts from the monuments and the material to the memory and the immaterial; from the European cultural norms to the cultural traditions that can be present beyond geographical boundaries; from the nations and the national to the communities and the supranational… to the identity that embodies all that one can feel, but cannot touch - the intangible cultural heritage.

However, despite the global interest, the legal framework regarding intangible cultural heritage remains rather vague. The intangible cultural heritage of refugees in particular presents multiple challenges, especially for Greece, a destination country, which attracts a large number of applicants for international protection. The 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees does not include a special provision regarding cultural rights or rights about culture since it focuses on the protection of refugees and their basic human rights. Moreover, the enforceable Directives do not refer specifically to cultural rights or culture. The only relevant reference made is that Member States are bound by obligations under instruments of international law to which they are party, including those that prohibit discrimination.

The law of armed conflict explicitly regulates the protection of the tangible cultural heritage, and currently the only relevant international instrument for the protection of the intangible cultural heritage in the event of war or of armed conflict is the 2003 Convention of UNESCO for the Safeguarding of

the Intangible Cultural Heritage (henceforth, The UNESCO 2003 Convention). However, after more than 10 years of its adoption and enforcement, one can only doubt for the UNESCO 2003 Convention’s effectiveness regarding the protection of the vulnerable intangible cultural heritage of refugees.

The damage caused to the intangible cultural heritage by war or armed conflicts is utterly underappreciated. An image of a smashed monument torn in pieces deeply saddens and shocks the whole humanity. Conversely, “ways of life never lie smashed on some museum floor; they come to a silent stop”. Undoubtedly, we are living in an era of images, that influence thoroughly life, culture and law; thus, an explanation for the domination of the tangible could be that for the time being the imaginal law defines the legal protection of cultural heritage in emergencies.

C. The 2003 Convention of UNESCO for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

The 2003 Convention of UNESCO includes provisions for ‘emergency requests’ for international assistance only in the Operational Directives for the implementation of the Convention. According to the last version of the Operational Directives (2018), an emergency shall be considered to exist in the event of an armed conflict. Yet, there is no specific reference to refugees as bearers of intangible cultural heritage or to forced displacement as a factor that has severe consequences for the intangible cultural heritage, as well as for communities, groups, or individuals, who are bearers of that heritage.

Scrutinizing the text of the 2003 Convention of UNESCO, the key-phrase for the duty to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of refugees could be identified in article 11 (a), which states that each State Party “shall take the necessary measures to ensure the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage present in its territory”. Thus, the intangible cultural heritage to be safeguarded shall not defined by ethnic, ethnotic or any other characteristics that refer to the citizens of a given State Party, but shall rather be defined by its own existence in the territory of that State Party, regardless of the origin of the bearers.

The absence of a specific provision regarding the cultural rights of refugees is perfectly reasonable, since refugees represent a special group of people, who are forced to flee their country of origin -or of their last habitual residence in the case of stateless persons- owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. And in many cases, their culture or part of their intangible cultural heritage represents what they try to escape from.

Browsing the lists of the 2003 Convention of UNESCO on the relevant website, one observes that the keyword ‘colonial history’ reveals twenty three (23) elements in 19 countries and the keyword ‘slavery’ twenty four (24) elements in 21 countries, respectively, whereas the keywords ‘refugees’ and ‘displacement’ reveal zero (0) elements. The absence of the refugees’ intangible cultural heritage on the UNESCO lists is more than noticeable. Perhaps, after the passage of 50 or 100 years, the words will become destigmatized and will appear on the lists, just like it happened with ‘colonization’ and ‘slavery’.

D. The role of the intangible cultural heritage in refugee camps

A survey report, conducted by UNESCO regarding the intangible cultural heritage of displaced Syrians, aptly stresses that the intangible cultural heritage moves along with its displaced bearers, who often use it to address the complex social, economic and psychological shocks that they experience. The intangible cultural heritage strengthens the sense of continuance of the community and smoothens their integration in the new environment.

The narratives of the displaced Syrians testify the performance of traditions linked to death. The bathing and the enshrouding of the deceased in white cloth by special washers, a ritual of the Islamic tradition, which is inspired by social respect, and the condolence ceremonies are traditions, which are

continued in the camps. Funerary and mourning rites, as well as culinary traditions related to lament, provide to refugees the sense of community in the exile context.

Another cultural expression, which revives in refugee camps of Syrians is the qasida, a genre of oral tradition, which transmits the knowledge and the community memory, educating at the same time community members about the social rules and the tribal law (‘urf ‘asha’iri), which remains largely unwritten. The oral tradition of qasida includes narratives of love, epic poems, race stories, political satire, war, friendship, family honor; narratives about the traditions of the homeland. According to testimonies, qasida is being performed in the refugee camps in Jordan, in a country in which the tribal law (‘urf ‘asha’iri) is acknowledged as law. Thus, the narrative of a refugee, who performs qasida, ensures the mediation, the compensation or the restoration of social peace regarding e.g. a blood feud occurring away from the homeland.

In the same respect, a survey conducted regarding Burundian refugees in Tanzania found that culture is present in the refugee environment, despite the fact that in the past it was considered that life in refugee camps focused exclusively in the basic needs of food and safety. According to this survey, the family undertakes the role and the duty to transmit the intangible cultural heritage to next generations. For the promotion of the traditional music, dances, songs and theater, cultural groups are being formed in the refugee camps, while the practice of storytelling is prominent. It is thought-provoking that in many cases the elders -consciously or unconsciously- tend to glorify and idealize what they left behind, in order to maintain the bond with the homeland.

As it supported, in refugee camps a high level of cultural activity is being observed. This activity empowers the community continuity and stability and simultaneously enables the refugees to experiment with new identities, necessary for adaptation and survival.

Last but not least, a striking and absolutely inspiring example of the role that intangible cultural heritage plays in refugee camps is the book of Behrouz Boochani “No Friend But the Mountains”. Bouchani, a Kurdish-Iranian journalist and activist, wrote a powerful, poetic refugee memoir, on his mobile phone via the application What’s App, in thousands short-text messages, while being detained in an Australian government immigration detention facility on Manus Island. In this case, the intangible cultural heritage was the life jacket that kept the hope alive; it was a matter of survival.

E. Concluding Remarks

As it becomes clear from the above-mentioned, the contact with culture and with the cultural identity translates to survival in any given situation, in any given environment. However, the present legal framework for the protection of refugees’ intangible cultural heritage remains insufficient. The law of armed conflict regulates the protection of the tangible cultural heritage, in the context of the modern era, which puts the emphasis on the tangible. Moreover, the

international instrument that explicitly provides for the protection of the intangible cultural heritage, the 2003 UNESCO Convention, is rather vague regarding the vulnerable intangible cultural heritage of displaced persons and refugees.

In refugee camps, the intangible cultural heritage elements operate as theaters of memory, allowing refugees as mnemonic communities to connect with their traditions and cultural identity.

The cultural identity functions as a crossroad, where random things happen. Whatever happens in this crossroad is a matter of luck and fate. A different, equally valid, situation happens somewhere else and so on. Cultural expressions overlap, disintegrate and are rearranged, transporting people to different paths. It is this mobility that ultimately defines history, and under these conditions people, who have been deprived of their history, meet their common destination and culture.

The diversity of culture is much greater and much richer (fortunately) from what we know, regarding both the past and the present. That is the greatness of humankind: it is not developed under a monotonous uniformity, but through the process and the interaction of highly diverse and differentiated societies and cultures.

Bibliography

Books – Articles in Journals

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Blake Janet, Development of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention, Creating a new heritage paradigm? in Michelle Stefano and Peter Davis (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Intangible Cultural Heritage, Routledge New York (2017), pp. 11-21.

Blake Janet, Museums and Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage – Facilitating Participation and Strengthening their Function in Society, International Journal of Intangible Heritage, Volume 13, 2018, 18-32

Boochani Behrouz, No Friend But the Mountains, The true story of an illegally imprisoned refugee, Picador (2018)

Chatelard Gèraldine Dr. with input from Ms. Hassan Kassab Hanan, Survey report, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Displaced Syrians, Prepared for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Section, November 2017

Crawley Karen and Peters Timothy D., Introduction: ‘representational legality’ in Peters Timothy D. and Crawley Karen (eds.), Envisioning Legality, Law, Culture and Representation, Routledge (2018), pp. 1-17

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Kim Hee-Eun, Changing Climate, Changing Culture: Adding the Climate Change Dimension to the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, International Journal of Cultural Property (2011) 18:259–290

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Seddon Robert, Subtle Casualties: Conflict and Intangible Cultural Heritage, Stockholm Centre on Ethics of War and Peace, available at <http://stockholmcentre.org/subtle-casualties-conflict-and-intangible-cultural-heritage>

Sherwin Richard K., When Law Goes Pop, The vanishing line between Law and Popular Culture, The University of Chicago Press (2000)

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Vaivade Anita, ICH as a source of identity: international law and deontology in Waelde Charlotte, Cummings Catherine, Pavis Mathilde and Enright Helena (eds.), Research Handbook on Contemporary Intangible Cultural Heritage, Law and Heritage, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, UK, Northampton, MA, USA (2018), pp. 165-193.

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International Conventions - Legal Documents

Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and for the content of the protection granted (recast)

Operational Directives for the Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage <https://ich.unesco.org/doc/src/ICH-Operational_Directives-7.GA-PDF-EN.pdf>

The Geneva Convention of 1951 Relating to the Status of Refugees, <https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/statusofrefugees.aspx>

The 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols <http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/armed-conflict-and-heritage/convention-and-protocols/1954-hague-convention>

The 2003 Convention of UNESCO for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, available at <https://ich.unesco.org/doc/src/15164-EN.pdf>

Internet sources and the Media

Dalida, ‘Helwa Ya Baladi”, available at <www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4b1K9GBLQ4>

Greek Asylum Service, Statistical Data, http://asylo.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Greek_Asylum_Service_Statistical_Data_GR.pdf

Greek Directorate of Modern Cultural Assets and Intangible Cultural Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece, Intangible Cultural Heritage in Emergencies<http://ayla.culture.gr/en/the-text/apk_se_katastaseis_ektaktis_anagkis/>

II. Refugees and asylum seekers in Greece
and their intangible cultural heritage (ICH).

Kalfopoulou Dimitra

A. Abstract

Refugees and asylum seekers in our times are members of our society, not by choice, but still they contribute to our civilization. It is a necessity for everyone to know about their culture and their cultural activities as they form their identities and affect ours by being in proximity with them. Having in mind this necessity, in this chapter we learn about the expressions of intangible cultural heritage of asylum seekers and refugees in Greece.

B. Introduction

Refugees and asylum seekers are an important aspect of our society during the last few years. The difficulties, they have overcome until their arrival in our country, have changed the cohesion of their groups and their cultural identities. In this chapter we are concerned about the refugee phenomenon and how it affects the ICH of the refugees. How do the expressions of ICH in the host country vary and what form of ICH is ultimately saved?

After studying UNESCO’s actions to protect the ICH, we identified the expressions of the refugee population and the changes in these expressions in Greece. Through the study of the theoretical background on refugee phenomenon and intangible cultural heritage, we set the goals of our research and created the appropriate questions to bring it to fruition. The survey was conducted in Attica on refugees and asylum seekers, staying in camps and houses from the program Estia, through questionnaires. There were answers on questions that respond to the objectives we have set. Questions like, where refugees and asylum seekers came from, which is their educational level, which is their occupation, which expressions of intangible cultural heritage they have in Greece, which are the difficulties they face and where they choose to express themselves. The conclusions from this research and the theoretical study hope that they will help us further understand the temperament and needs (general and cultural) of this class of people in our society.

1. Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and actions to protect the ICH of refugees.

The ICH is a special element of culture. An element of ICH can be found in a country or dispersed in many near and far countries with common experiences. In general, the items listed in the UNESCO List represent groups of countries that have worked together to present the dynamics of their cultural elements.

UNESCO has expanded its turnover on culture by including actions to protect not only the newest material (beyond archeological) monuments but also the intangible expressions of culture. In the case of the ICH we are researching, these actions have taken place due to the various parameters that have been considered, such as:

a. The fact that it is a living tradition and its elements are people. Without humans it ceases to exist. When there is a war, people are the target, and in natural disasters they are the victims. In both cases people are affected and so is their cultural heritage,

b. The fact that carrying out elements of ICH or otherwise of tradition cannot be done anywhere beyond the place of origin. The deliberate or unintentional movements of populations affect the expression of their intangible cultural heritage, which is often lost after collective memory is disturbed (one of the social contexts in which people’s memory is recorded).

c. The fact that ICH forms communities when people declare it as part of their identity or when they say it gives them the feeling that they belong to a distinct group. This is also the goal of war conflicts, namely the destruction of peoples’ identities (cultural, national, religious).

UNESCO’s actions to protect the ICH and the Modern Monuments follow a specific diagram which is (outline):

• Recording

• Documentation

• Designation as a monument - Enrollment in Intangible Cultural Index

• Disclosure using information and communication technologies

• Preventive Material Preservation - Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The above is the blueprint on which local groups work to present a complete dossier for each expression of ICH. Very important is the fact that each country has its own National List from which data are extracted each year that could be registered and displayed on the International ICH List.

In the context of the refugee crisis of recent years, UNESCO has faced the preservation of the ICH of people such as Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis, Pakistanis etc. At the 11th Session of October 3116 in Paris, priority is given to the ICH of expatriate refugees with the general acknowledgment that their identity is in danger of being destroyed. As part of this decision, the Beirut office has taken various steps to promote and preserve the ICH of the surrounding people.

One of these actions took place in 2015 where Syrian cultural professionals were trained to safeguard and provide guidance for the conservation of their area’s intangible and mobile heritage. For example, a Syrian dancer was relocated in Lebanon along with her students and colleagues in order to preserve their traditional dancing and at the same time a film about Damascus Aleppo was founded by a german organisation in order to be seen in a cultural festival. Another action taken in May 2016 concerned the preservation of the Syrian music tradition where it was decided to raise funds to record, preserve and promote traditional music on an educational basis. In 2017 an attempt was made to highlight the painting art of the Aleppo area, which was frozen after the bombing of the area and the destruction of the workshops. In 2018 the International List of Cultural Heritage expressions from Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq have been included and an effort has begun to showcase the art of fabric from the Damascus region.

2. Expressions of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Refugees

In recent years various items have been included in the International List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, either from individual efforts of refugee countries or from cooperation of countries, that are representative samples of their ICH. These elements are:

• Shadow play: Shadow Theater or otherwise known in Greece as Karagiozis. As a Syrian practice it comes from the wider region of Damascus and is essentially a satirical event with the use of light and shadows and depends on the skill and disposition of the figure player.

• Falconry: Hunting with Falcons or Breeding Hawks and other predators. As a practice it has been included in the International List as a collaboration of countries such as Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Sweden. It is linked to nutrition but also to physical balance. Generations from the same family are usually involved in this and there is a long-distance wandering practice for proper breeding and training of birds.

• Suri Jagek: Observing the sun. It comes from the Hindu Kush mountains and the populations there. The practice was used by the locals to determine the time of day for their agricultural work, and at the same time set their own festive calendar. These are techniques for observing the sun, moon, constellations and shadows depending on the morphology of the terrain of the area (topography).

• Novruz: New Day. A two-week period beginning March 21 in the Arab regions celebrating purity, vitality, brightness and the new beginning. During the two weeks, water and fire rituals, traditional sports, traditional food production and traditional cooking dinners take place where children dress up in new clothes, receive gifts, observe and participate in cultural events.

• Maqam: Traditional songs accompanied by traditional instrumental music and anthems to ancestors, love, devotion, friendship. They are usually presented in private meetings or in cafes and theaters. It has remained unchanged in relation to other genres of Arabic music and is widespread in many countries due to commercial-funded recordings of private initiatives. The elderly educates young people in both the vocal and musical education of Maqam.

• Khidr Elias: religious celebration of the Alkhidr deity. The practice comes from the wider region of Iraq and Afghanistan, where every February people honor the deity of Alkhidr who, according to ancient customs, fulfill wishes to those in need. It combines intense folk elements such as traditional costumes, songs and delicacies with the culmination of offering to the goddess of candles floating in rivers or lakes in the area and observing them to highlight the wishes that will come true. It is perhaps the only tradition reported to be taught to young children at school level.

Of course there are also ICH items that are not included in the International List and are at risk of being lost due to the situation in these countries such as the Damascus fabrics, Aleppo painting, traditional acapella song of Afghanistan,

Syrian traditional music, Iranian ceramics and more. However, despite the difficulties, refugees in Greece have the opportunity through NGOs that provide them with the basics for their everyday needs, houses via the ESTIA program and health insurance. After solving their living problems and entering a daily life htey can, to develop expressions of their ICH and at the same time to keep their collective memory and identity alive.

3. Changes in the way the Intangible Cultural Heritage is expressed in Greece

From the above recorded expressions of the ICH following on-the-spot observation and participation in various expressions of the ICH of refugees for the needs of the present work we observe that refugees face difficulties leading them to changes in the way they express themselves.

In most of these expressions, traditional clothing is part of the ritual. This is a challenge for refugees who have left their native country under adverse conditions and with few belongings and most often they do not have such clothing. Change in ICH expressions is done by not using these clothes.

Another difficulty for some ICH expressions lies in the fact that they are intertwined with the morphology of their natural location such as rivers, lakes, etc. This means that the refugees must look for the place that will somewhat remind them of their native place to be able to express the ICH. As a result, if they cannot find a similar or compatible place, they do not practice the ICH at all.

One difficulty that refugees face, and which seems to move them away from the ICH expression, is the cohesion of the groups. Many expressions are made by small and large family members. Refugees, however, have lost this family cohesion. As a result, they are staying away from ICH expressions and over time this abstinence will result in the ICH expressions being forgotten.

Finally, another observation on the changes, that the ICH expressions are subject to, is the difficulty of locating the element itself. In the case of Falconry, for example, refugees in Greece find it difficult to locate hawk farms as they did in their homeland because these structures are not common in Greece where hawks are wild and free animals. This results in, either Falconry changing expression using in the practices another predatory bird, or not expressing at all with aftermath the change in cultural identity of the groups.

In order to justify these observations, we conducted a survey among the refugees and asylum seekers of Attica, Greece during a month period. Refugees and asylum seekers answered us in questions of origin, comprehension of concepts, opinion etc. The goals of our research are to:

• find out which groups of refugees are most concerned with culture and its promotion,

• what the educational level of these people is,

• from which country they come from,

• are they asylum seekers or have they already entered refugee status?

• find out what forms of ICH from their country they know,

• find out in which ICH expression are they involved in terms of community,

• identify the problems that refugees may face in expressing their intangible cultural heritage;

• identify the sites that refugees choose to express their ICH in order to make these sites known to the refugee community,

• make this research available to refugees and commons so they can recognize and understand other aspects of culture.

C. Survey results

Our questionnaire was answered by 200 people of different age groups and nationalities. Their answers give us guidance on how refugees view their ICH and help us respond to the goals of our research. The answers given are shown in the graphs below: