Greece is Europe's immigration and refugee major hub. As the refugee escape starting point country, Greece islanders have brought warmth and care to millions fleeing war and fear. Greek islanders' benevolent acts to resolve peril have moved the whole world, with online over 600,000 people and notables initiating a petition, hoping the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize can be awarded to the Greek islanders on the front lines of the European refugee crisis. This campaign has received support from members of the European Parliament, politicians, and Greek media. The residents living on the Aegean islands have set an example for European civilization.
On the campaign's official website, a message to the Norwegian Nobel Committee reads: "Ordinary Greek islanders and volunteers working on the front lines of the European refugee crisis are doing extraordinary things. They have opened their hearts and their homes to save thousands of people fleeing war and terror. They have used their passion, courage, and human kindness to alleviate suffering and set an example for others. Citizens around the world hope these brave women and men will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize."
Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon and several other notable figures have also written to the Nobel Committee, expressing that Greek islanders have shown selfless help and warmth to strangers, citing in particular an elderly Greek retiree and a local fisherman. It is understood that 85-year-old retiree Emilia Kamvysis and 40-year-old fisherman Stratis Valiamos have become household names for their voluntary efforts to assist refugees arriving on the island.
The organizer of the campaign, Alkmini Papadaki, an architect on the Greek island of Crete, stated, "People living on the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea have been and are still doing everything they can to help the displaced Syrian refugees, despite Greece having been mired in an economic crisis for years. These efforts and sacrifices should not be ignored, as they have contributed to the maintenance of world peace and stability."
According to statistics from the International Organization for Migration, more than 800,000 refugees arrived on Greek shores in 2015. United Nations data shows that this year, to date, an average of more than 1,900 people per day have chosen to risk the sea crossing from Turkey to Greece, and over 31,000 have chosen to register on the island of Lesbos.