Overview
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​Our dream is for the Sports, Arts & Wellness Center to become a sanctuary, where communities can step out of the daily stress of the refugee camp into a peaceful physical space, free to cultivate mind and body.

Moria Refugee Camp on the island of Lesvos, Greece, has been described as the “worst refugee camp on earth” by the BBC. Constructed for 2,500 people, the camp houses nearly 15,000. Displacement, trauma, extreme overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions make life within the camp dangerous and stressful.

In the midst of such desperate circumstances, physical and mental health have largely fallen by the wayside, despite their vital importance. Refugees at Moria are deprived of opportunities to build physical fitness, access counseling and mental health resources, develop peace and friendships across cultures, and generally escape the day-to-day realities of the camp.

To address these needs, WWBT, in collaboration with numerous NGOs, local instructors, and teachers from within the camp community will share their gifts at this center outside the camp. This project aims to help provide individuals with ways to find purpose and growth, as well as a sense of belonging and community. 
Programming
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The Wellness Center will host an array of programs, including (but not limited to): mindfulness, group and private therapy, martial arts, arts, fitness and field sports.
One of our key principles is that many of the programs are “by refugees, for refugees”. This is what gives the center its strength. 

Moria is filled with a diverse set of people from Arica, the Middle East and Eurasia - places with rich cultural legacies in different sports and wellness activities. The space is a place where the community can use their skills and experiences to benefit their neighbors.
Support
The center is looking to open in December 2020, with a location identified near Moria refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece.  

Launch costs include light construction, flooring, pads, weights and other equipment, security systems, permits and legal fees. Annual expense include rent, utilities, staff and coordinators.

For inquiries regarding large gifts and more materials, you can reach out directly to WWBT co-founder Zoë Pappis - Zoe@wwbt.org.
A Collaborative Effort
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Yoga and Sport for Refugees was established at the end of 2017 in Lesvos. Since then the community offers a wide variety of sports activities to the refugees stranded on the island while they endure the long-lasting and grueling asylum process. The organization currently runs 6 different projects, offering 15 different sports to approximately 400 refugees per day. ​
When We Band Together was founded by in 2016 by husband and wife Xander Schultz and Zoë Pappis after the couple volunteered on the island in November, 2015. The organization is dedicated to provide safe spaces and community centers that help refugees find happiness, purpose, and belonging. Stavros Mirogiannis serves as boots on the ground for WWBT after leading the Kara Tepe Refugee Camp on Lesvos for 4 years.
Humanity Crew is an international aid organization specializing in the provision of first response mental health interventions to refugees and people in crises. They work to deploy mental health and psychosocial support to people in crisis zones in order to improve their wellbeing, to restore order in their lives, and to prevent further psychological escalation. Humanity Crew was founded by Essam Daod after he volunteered in Lesvos in 2015.
StrengthIn is the first evidence-based initiative focused on sustainable development and the mental, social, and emotional wellbeing of young women. StrenghtIn offers a more human and holistic blueprint for development by taking into account overlooked basic needs, such as self-worth and connection. These needs are virtually ignored in global crises — times when feelings of shame and disconnection are amplified.
Site Manager​
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Stavros Mirogiannis is WWBT’s boots on the ground, managing and coordinating all activities and partnerships.

Stavros previously served as manager of the 1,200 person Kara Tepe refugee camp on Lesvos from 2015 - 2019, where he  was heralded for his emphasis on maintaining dignity and ensuring quality conditions.

​When his tenure as site manager ended in August 2019 amid a change in local government, the refugees staged a demonstration in protest, chanting “We need Stavros!”.
Leadership Committee
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These heroes are stepping up to ensure the center has the support it needs.
Who is Dave Schultz?

Dave Schultz was an American Olympic champion wrestler known for his ability to build friendships and fan bases across political divides. He was considered wrestling’s greatest ambassador, and was extremely popular in the Soviet Union, Iran, and Cuba during a  period of heightened tension at the end of the Cold War. Tragically, Dave was murdered just before he was set to appear in another Olympic games in 1996. Dave is the father of WWBT co-founder Xander Schultz.

Read: Dave Schultz had a way of bringing world together