ACTIVITY LTTA KALAMATA

1. Passages is a role playing (simulation game) developed by UNHCR in 1995 to put players through
the experience of being a refugee fleeing war or persecution.
We will be playing this game with the students on Tuesday. It will be played in a large open space
and the trail the students will have to follow is a narrow path, outside on a farm. The forst part will
be played inside in a large room .
The facilitator or coordinator of the game is Ms Anneta Papathanasiou a Greek actress/
documentary director who is working on the topic of migrants and refugees. Following you can rad
what she will be saying and what some of us will be doing to help her as well as the preparations for
the students. Basically your students will need comfortable shoes and they should know the
vocabulary that follows the end od the game.
The games will take approximately 1 ½ hour to play
The Coordinator reads the following text to the group:
“You are going to take part in a simulation game that will help you
understand what refugees go through daily.
You may have already been exposed to this type of experience, in which case
certain feelings may resurface, causing emotional discomfort. Please know
that you may pull out of the game at any time if you feel uncomfortable and
cannot be helped by the other members of your group. You can pull out by
simply holding up your “SOS” card (which I will distribute). Do not hesitate
to do so if you feel you need to.
This will be played
inside
During this game you will be a part of a group, or “family”, and each of
you will take on a particular identity. As members of the same family, you
will experience different situations together as you try to cope with the
difficulties. find the other members of your family
"Now that you have found the other members of your family, you have to
choose your roles, pick a family name and give yourself new names."
The students will
be divided into
family units on
Monday so as to
gain time
At this point, I would all like to close your eyes with the mask given to you. The students will
have to put on
sleepmasks
Safety regulations
• No running.
• Move around carefully, waving your arms gently back and forth so as to
avoid hurting your fellow players.
• If there is a safety problem then I will blow the whistle and everyone is to
stand still. You must then wait until I either resume the game or else stop
the game for good.
“During a normal family outing to the center of your village, an airplane
The coordinator
will read the safety
regulations. She
will then read the
situation. After

2. swoops low over the rooftops. The tremendous noise startles and frightens
you. A few seconds later, a lot of airplanes appear in the distance and attack
the town. A number of bombs explode and throw things everywhere. Heavy
smoke fills the street where your family happens to be. People are
screaming, running in every direction.
Your family gets separated. It’s impossible to see through the dense smoke
that’s stinging your throat and lungs. You start yelling too, hoping to find
your family so that you can all get away together.
You must find all your family members while keeping your blindfolds on.”
that the students
will put on their
masks. All lights
will be turned off
and they will be
mixed up- we will
have to help mix
them up. They will
have to reunite on
their own. During
this time there will
be noises similar to
war sounds playing
loudly.
"Your life has been turned upside down. Members of your family have been
injured. For example someone may have been blinded or have a hand/ leg
cut off. The place where you were born is no longer safe. You do not think
about anything. You must leave.
This is a very serious decision that will affect the future of your whole
family. You have heard that beyond the borders there is a country that is
safe for you and your family, a country where there is no bombing and
where being different is not prosecuted. You are considering very seriously
of leaving your homeland. But beyond the borders is the unknown. You
decide to discuss it as a family, weigh the pros and cons of your decision.
Let each family member talk about what he hopes and what he feels he will
find on the other side of the border. Gather your things. Take what is
absolutely necessary, things that you can’t live without or your favorite
things"
"The bombing has forced your family to leave home without really knowing
where to head. During the bombing, two members of your family suffered
severe injuries and are now handicapped. You must deal with this situation,
help them and find a way to care for them.
Rules:
• You must not be separated from your family.
You must help the injured members and guide them, support them or even
carry them if you have to
Compatriot: “The city was completely destroyed! Everything is burning! We
can’t stay here anymore, we have to leave. I know a path that leads to the
border. I am leaving! Come on! "
"Let'sget out ofhere!", "Turn here!","I know someonewho will take us across
with hisboat ",Let's go that way ..."
The compatriot
represents part of
the human
smuggling ring. He
will be among the
students
Here the students
will start their
descent. We will
need at least four
teachers. They will

3. have to be with the
students shouting at
them things like
“Be careful/watch
out!
There are mines
there!
bombs
"Come on, come on, get in the boat! All of you fit! You’re going to
paradise, don’t be afraid. If you turn steering wheel towards that rock, in 10
minutes you will be safe. Have a good journey. "
This will be said by
Giorgos ( Greek
teacher)
COORDINATOR "The sun went down anhour ago. Youare all exhaustedby this
painful experienceand everything you'vebeen throughso far. But you have
reached the sea andyou have to cross over. Youare ready to accept any solution,
as longas it includesall your family. "
You are in a boat in the middle of the sea. You don’t know how to swim. It
is uncomfortable, you are wet and you are cold, hungry and thirsty.
But you need to be careful, not to make any noise and not to complain. Try
to become as invisible as possible. "
"You are among those who have managed to cross the sea. Many refugees
did not succeed. You have just arrived on land, after a terribly exhausting
journey and the painful decisions you had to make. You are very tired,
disheveled, hungry and thirsty.
You do not expect much, except perhaps some water, a little food and a
place to settle temporarily so you can treat the sick and sleep safely while
also letting your relatives know that you have reached your first
destination.
Your goal is to ensure the necessities and to continue your journey.
Youhave to move fast. There may be as manyas 1000 people who have reached
the same place on the same day asyou. But first you mustvisit the Authoritiesto
request an asylumapplication.Arepresentative from each familymaygo to the
registrationoffice"
After all you’ve been through and all the decisions you’ve had to make, you
finally reached your destination. They may recognize you as refugees in
future, but you don’t know when that may be.
The document you have been given qualifies you as asylum seekers, has an
expiration date and you are obliged to show it without any objections
whenever you are asked.
After a very tedious and dangerous journey, you must again try to adapt to a
new place. You are very skeptical, you have heard that may be placed in a
place from where you will not be able to leave.

4. "You can now head to the Hotstop holdings"
The studentswill have tofill inaregistrationsheet - like refugees.Then they will be placedinholdings.Once
the game isoverwe will discuss/evaluate the experience