Providing free music education in Greek refugee camps to empower children, and build a sense of community within the camps, Greek society, and Europe at large

Anis

A French national of Tunisian and Danish origins living between London and Greece, Anis is no stranger to navigating a conflux of many cultures and identities. His background is equally eclectic: after graduating from French universities — receiving a Diploma in Clarinet, Chamber Music & Music Theory as well as a Masters in Law and a Masters in Political Science in Bilingual English — he served as Deputy Cultural Attache at the French Embassy in the US, General Manager of the Maitrise de Radio France in Paris, and as Professor of Music and Politics at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris.

“The message is simple: no matter your religion, your nationality, or your color of skin, on stage we are all artists. These children are the future, and they are brilliant! What drives me during the day is their smiles. Each smile is a victory.”

 

Anis took part in the 2018 Gather Fellowship, SE Forum’s partnership with Seeds of Peace. 

 

Seeds of Peace GATHER

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El Sistema Greece

Currently, Anis is Associate Project Manager at Askonas Holt, representing around 20 orchestras and choirs for international touring. This inspired him to co-found an innovative model of social integration through music. El Sistema Greece provides free music education for children in refugee camps and other vulnerable youth in the region. By learning music, these children are inspired to strive for a better future, while the music itself provides a platform for dialogue and togetherness across diverse communities. The activities in El Sistema Greece are led by Greek and foreign teachers, professional musicians and internationally-known artists, as well as refugee hires from the communities themselves, combatting the issue that around 62,000 refugees, predominantly women and children, are stranded in overwhelmed Greek refugee camps.