Greek archaeological site and Olympic venues turn into refugee shelters

Greece’s council for cultural heritage has allowed the use of the Roman Odeon on the island of Kos as a shelter for refugees.

The Roman Odeon, Kos. Image by Anna & Michal / CC BY-SA 2.0

Following a request by Doctors Without Borders, heated tents and chemical toilets will be set up at the site to provide temporary accommodation for 240 people. Each day around 300 refugees arrive on the island and most of them stay for three days. The Roman Odeon was built between in the 2nd century AD and was a venue for music performances. Three venues of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens which are now disused and neglected – the Galatsi Olympic Hall, taekwondo stadium on the Athens coast and the Hellinikon athletic complex – are also being used as temporary shelters for refugees from Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan seeking asylum in Western Europe. Read more: greece.greekreporter.com and latimes.com