Social Solidarity Economy (SSE)

The aim of this programme is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at empowering initiatives and especially networks of the broader Social Solidarity Economy ecosystem. On the other hand, it seeks to foster the co-creation of new and transformative narratives and cases around the themes i.a. of work, care, technology and space.

Programme Coordinator
Recent Articles
Κοινωνικός Άτλας Θεσσαλονίκης cover

Thessaloniki Social Atlas: Mapping a changing city

REPORT
The Thessaloniki Social Atlas, a new digital project with the signature of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, was launched with a major public event. This platform, which resembles an open online “encyclopedia” for the urban space and anthropogeography of Thessaloniki, offers - perhaps for the first time - an organized, interdisciplinary and fully documented material, with emphasis on the visual representation of data, addressed to the scientific community, the general public, but also to decision makers and policy makers at the same time.
Vasilis Kyriakoulis
Ιωάννινα 2

Municipalities and citizens relations under the microscope of a workshop in Ioannina

REPORT
Do the municipalities belong to the citizens? Is this first tier of government really close to the citizens? Are there relationships of trust and cooperation between municipalities and citizens? These questions were addressed in the workshop organized in Ioannina on 1 April 2024 by the project “Ioannina is planning”, in cooperation with the participatory process platform Localwatch and with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
Giorgos Tsantikos
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A workshop that serves as an “aSSEt” for the young people of Komotini

REPORT
Yannis Charchantis conveys his experience from participating in the event “The Contribution of the Social Solidarity Economy to the creative economy,” which took place on Monday, April 22, 2024, at the Municipal Library of Komotini, as part of the National Youth Capital 2024 initiative. The event was organized by the Municipality of Komotini’s Youth and Volunteering Center “exagono”, the Department of Social Policy of Democritus University of Thrace, and the Municipality of Komotini, with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation – Thessaloniki Office.
Yannis Charchantis
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Dossiers
DOSSIER

The Greek forests in the 21st century

An inquiry in the light of conservation, local economic ecosystems and the commons

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Πόλη και ύπαιθρος

Urban–rural divide

DOSSIER
The over-concentration of population, power, resources and opportunities in large cities is a characteristic feature of Greece, which creates a clear and multilevel gap between urban and rural areas. The prolonged economic crisis and the demographic problem have put the sustainability and long-term prospects of the Greek countryside at risk. With this special dossier, the Heinrich Böll Foundation is launching a public debate on this overlooked issue, addressing it in all its complexity and presenting not only the problems but also best practices that can serve as an example for Greek cities and regions.
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Working from Rapsani

The existing connection to the Thessaloniki suburban railway, as well as the practice of telecommuting, which was particularly raised during the Covid-19 pandemic, have prompted some to consider whether Rapsani could become a remote working destination. A key question that runs through all the articles and interviews in this special series is, therefore, how and under what conditions this village could be a place to host digital nomads and, more broadly, remote workers in the knowledge economy, in the context of existing community activities and in collaboration with the local government.
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Ioannina: the city of ‘other’ technologies

In the region surrounding the city of Ioannina, a new ecosystem of Social and Solidarity Economy is emerging. This system recognizes technology not only in its high-tech aspect but also in its traditional, free, and open-access function. At first sight, the material of this tour may seem heterogeneous, however, there is a red line that connects its elements: the way these forms of technology can satisfy the needs of open local territories by creating new – or reusing past and forgotten – social practices.
Recent Media
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Thessaloniki, a city off topic?

VIDEO
For whom is Thessaloniki today? Could it become in the future a city that offers quality of life, employment opportunities, and prospects for personal development? How do different communities coexist? What does the degradation of public, especially green, spaces signify? These pressing questions were the focus of an open discussion about the city’s needs, the changes it requires, the challenges it currently faces, and the priorities it must set for the future to reverse the trend of people leaving or the underutilization of its potential. (available in Greek) 
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Related Publications

Housing for the common good

Handbook
Across Europe, cities are grappling with an intensifying housing crisis that affects a wide spectrum of urban residents, from the most vulnerable to essential workers and middle-income earners. Increasing numbers of residents face eviction, leading to higher rates of homelessness in urban centres. This handbook by Eurocities presents a wide range of practical approaches in 10 European cities addressing key housing challenges, highlighting strategies that combine affordability, social inclusion, and sustainability.   Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bonn, Ghent, Gotheburg, Lyon Metropole, Milan, Rome, Vienna, Vilnius
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Φροντίδα cover

The social organisation of care in Greece

PUBLICATION
This book (language: Greek) is an introduction to the concept of care, a topic that is increasingly at the center of narratives, analyses, claims, and policy proposals. Furthermore, it explores aspects of how care is socially organised in Greece, focusing on the different roles of the state, the market, the community and the family, while aspiring to become part of a collective reflection and dialogue on the ways in which care is socially organized in Greece, but also on how we imagine an equal, just, and caring world.
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