A dream come true, a library with over 14.000 books in 29 languages is located in recent years in the heart of Athens. Walking on Evias Street in Kypseli we meet "We Need Books" a place where people from different countries can read, educate, chat, play, exchange experiences and find their own sanctuary in our multicultural capital.
The thought that she managed to find her own refuge was "born" when Ioanna Nisyriou and Nadir Nouri met. About 4 years ago, the two of them realized that there is a gap in Athens, that there was a lack of a library that could house books in all the languages spoken by the people who live in the city. This is how they created "We Need Books".
They started collecting books and in November 2019 they inaugurated their multipurpose space in Kypseli.
Their task was not easy but was "embraced" with a lot of love and support by many people. Their goal is to see happy faces and to help those who need them. To show the refugees that they are welcome in our country, that Athens is worthy of a multicultural city and that We Need Books can be a refuge of knowledge for themselves and their families.
Due to the coronavirus, the library may now remain closed to the public, but when the measures are lifted, the actions for adults and young children will "come to life" again.
"When we met Nadir in 2015, we were very concerned about this wave of refugees who were trapped in various parts of the country.
We saw children, lonely desperate people who had gone through a very difficult journey and we thought that one way to help make the most of their time while they were here was to find books in their languages and make sure they got their hands on them. " explains to newsbeast.gr the co-founder of We Need Books Ioanna Nisyriou.
At the moment in the library that is constantly enriched there are over 14.000 books in 29 languages which arrived there mainly from donations but also purchases made by its founders and concern books mainly in languages that they could not find otherwise.
"From Greek, English and French we already have a very good number of books not only in quantity but also in quality" he says and adds: "Unfortunately in other languages we still have less. "We have little and we need Russian, Ukrainian."
"Books have been sent to us from Greece and from many European countries in the most popular European languages. This was the yeast of our multilingual library. Most of our books in Arabic and Farsi had to be bought from abroad. In the beginning it was very difficult and time consuming "he explains with joy that the great common dream with Nadir after a lot of effort and endless hours of work managed to come true.
"Before the pandemic came, one could come here and read. Either a child because we also have a children's department, or an adult. It is also a very nice place for people who speak many languages because they can choose books from one language to another.
Those interested could also attend Greek, English and Spanish lessons as well as various activities mainly for children.
There is great interest because there is nothing similar in Greece. There is interest from residents of Kypseli, locals, but also from people living in Athens from other countries. As they explain to us, they would easily find it in their countries and so they find a refuge.
We are also visited by immigrants, refugees who find it difficult to find books in their language such as Arabic and Farsi ", he points out.
"When, with good fortune, we reopen to the public, we will also start borrowing books. "Those who want to borrow must first become members and by paying a token subscription they will be able to take their book home," he notes.
"For those who come to our place to read, reading is free," he says.
The We Need Books library employs volunteers and its activities are financially supported mainly by direct donations from citizens, while according to Ioanna Nisyriou, anyone who wishes can adopt their own book.
"In adapt a book we have made a selection of important books that we have and are for adoption. When adopting a book, one receives a certificate of adoption which will remain in the book to honor his contribution. The money will be used to buy an important book for our library ", the co-founder of We Need Books states to newsbeast.gr.