Capital of Greece’s Western region, Patras is also the principal port looking towards the Ionian islands and Italy.

Founded in the 3rd millennium BC, Patras flourished during the Mycenaean and especially the Roman periods, up until the 9th century AD. From the 13th century, it belonged to the Franks, to the Byzantines, to the Venetians and at other times, to the Turks.

Patras developed rapidly after liberation from the Turks in 1821, and thanks to the increasing commerce it enjoyed as a port city. Everywhere beautiful neo-classical buildings still embellish this city whose roads lead to the sea, making a strong and picturesque impression. Artistic and spiritual life remains very intense today. Gradually, heavy industry has also developed, increasing the population. Today, Patras is one of the most influential cities in Greece, with its port continuing to play the important role it has always held throughout its long history.

City status
Population diversity
Patras is a city in Greece. It has a population of 222,460. The majority group makes up 90% of the city’s inhabitants. The ethnic composition of Greece foreign population in descending order comprises: 64.91% Albanians; 6.53% Bulgarians; 4.52% Romanian; and 3.17% Pakistani. 65% of the city's total population are foreign-born.
Profile and activities
Intercultural Cities Index
Good practice

Back Supporting the Roma of Achaia

Tackling the barriers to employment in the Roma population

The project "Supporting the Roma of Achaia" is concerned with the activation of Roma people in the labour market. It involves the mobilization of local bodies with a view to ensuring the creation of jobs for the Roma population, after the diagnosis of local needs and highlighting of the growth potential in the intervention area. As a result, a social enterprise for recycling materials has been established.

The project includes actions on coordination-management, counselling, training, networking and awareness-raising. It is implemented by a Development Partnership (DP) entitled «axaia roma», coordinated by "Daphne VET". Within the DP among others, partners are the “Patras Municipal Enterprise for Planning & Development - ADEP SA” and the “Social Organisation of the Municipality of Patras - KODIP”.

It operates in partnership with a second project entitled “Combating Discrimination in the Field of Entrepreneurship: Women and young Roma and Muslim immigrants”. It is concerned with raising awareness, disseminating information and promoting the debate about the key challenges and policy issues in relation to anti-discrimination for Roma and Muslim immigrants as far as entrepreneurship is concerned. Mainstreaming of policies through the involvement of social partners, NGOs and relative stakeholders is also a challenge.

The project is coordinated by the “National Centre for Social Research (EKKE)” and the area of Patras has been identified as a core-place at a national level, equal to the area of Athens. “Patras Municipal Enterprise for Planning & Development - ADEP SA” is the local partner organization.

These two projects are part of a chain of on-going actions by the Municipality of Patras (Vice-Municipality of “Support to Citizen, Volunteerism, Gender Equality & Integration of Migrants”) and its organizations, supporting the development of the intercultural character of Patras into equal opportunities for all its civil society.

Further information
2016
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Kostas PELETEDIS

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