Empower Athens' Displaced people through community

Dear Friends,

Spring and early summer are always especially busy times at the Library. There is so much to share with you, where do we begin?

We Need Books was honored to participate in the SNF Nostos Conference 2026, held June 22–26 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens. Marking the 30th anniversary of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the conference brought together people from around the world to reflect on humanity, global challenges, and future innovations.

We found a special home at “Το Καφενεο του Γιννη” (Giannis’ Café), a digital detox space where participants were invited to leave their screens outside and enjoy a coffee, a book, and a conversation, to disconnect from screens and reconnect with one another.

We contributed a small multilingual library for young and old, with a carefully selected collection of poetry, short stories, and children’s books, an invitation to pause and simply enjoy reading. We were delighted to welcome participants to the WNB Library at the Café and are deeply grateful to have been part of this wonderful event.

NOSTOS also gave us the opportunity to make new friends and reconnect with old ones. We were especially happy to welcome to the Café a dear friend of the Library, the renowned academic Diane Osgood, PhD, a pioneering sustainability strategist and innovator.

Spring also brought many wonderful visitors to the Library, including students from France and the United States, as well as librarians and colleagues from Italy. Book presentations, workshops, and art classes brought people of different ages and backgrounds together around books, ideas, and community, reminding us that the Library is much more than a place where books are kept.

And now, a piece of news that fills us with enormous pride. Our dear Sam has successfully passed his university entrance exams! Soon, he will begin studying Informatics and Telecommunications at the University of Thessaly. Sam first came to the Library as a frequent young user, then became an intern, and today is a Library trainee. We could not be happier or prouder of him.

This busy and rewarding period has also been marked by a difficult and unexpected event. In April, our basement was flooded by a significant and ongoing water leak, which disrupted the Library’s electrical system and affected part of our collection and facilities. The cause of the leak has not yet been established, and there are ongoing discussions about whether it may be connected to nearby infrastructure works, relating to the new Athens Metro line. Responsibility remains unresolved, and the Library has had to navigate a complex situation involving multiple stakeholders. The expenses incurred so far have been considerable, while a clear resolution is still not on the horizon.

At the same time, this difficult situation has brought us closer to the local community. We have seen residents come together to protect their homes and neighbourhood, with more than 200 people already involved in collective efforts, supported by the Municipality of Athens. Being part of this community response has reminded us once again of the important role a community space like the Library can play, not only through our programmes and services, but also by standing alongside our neighbours when the neighbourhood faces a challenge. We remain hopeful that by our next communication, we will have better news to share.

There is so much happening at We Need Books, so much energy, growth, learning, and hope. None of it would be possible without your support and care.

Whether welcoming visitors from around the world, bringing our Library to new spaces, offering activities to our community, celebrating young people like Sam, or facing unexpected challenges, your support allows us to continue.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for believing in the importance of a Library where everyone can find books, community, and a sense of belonging.

With our deepest gratitude 

Margarita Sianou | International Relations & Donor Development