April 2025 / I

Haven't registered to the 13th International Seminar in Athens yet? You can still benefit from the (extended) early bird discount available until the end of this week 6th of April! This year’s edition will explore Restorative Justice for Children and Young People on the Move, bringing together professionals from the fields of migration and restorative justice to exchange knowledge and perspectives. It marks the first time the EFRJ event is dedicated to this important intersection, offering a valuable opportunity to engage with experts, share experiences, and discuss innovative approaches.

The draft schedule of the seminar as well as the biographies of confirmed plenary speakers, and practical tips are now online, to support you planning and organising your trip to Athens and to inspire your participation!

The drawing featured on the seminar's poster is as special as the event itself. It was created by the children participants of the “ESTIA 2021” program, a housing initiative for asylum seekers that operated on Tilos, a small island in the Dodecanese, Greece. At the top of the drawing, they wrote in Greek: "Wherever I am, Earth is my home."  Check the full picture on the event's page! 

"There is always much more to people than we can see. Beautiful things happen when we practice empathy".

As we are organising the EFRJ Seminar in Athens on the potential of restorative justice for migrant children, we are are returning to books, films, pictures, and other resources that inspired us in the context of children. On of these is definitely Wally and Freya, a beautifully illustrated book that introduces principles of restorative justice to children. Written by Lindsay Pointer and brought to life by Stella Mongodi’s illustrations, this touching story resonate not only with young readers but also with adults. The book was presented by the author in a webinar organised by the EFRJ in 2022 (watch here the videorecording).
The story that explores a conflictual relationship with the other: someone different, someone excluded, such as a child with experience of migration within and across borders. Through the lens of restorative justice, beautifully conveyed in this story, we are guided towards a deeper sense of belonging, one that goes beyond simply stepping into the other's shoes. Instead, it embraces inclusion as envisioned by restorative justice: a space in which both individuals are fully recognised and valued exactly because of each others differences.
In this way, a child's story can reveal many valuable concepts, such as radical respect, which represents a way of working that honours the humanity of each individual. This will be one of the concepts examined in detail during the last plenary of 13th International EFRJ Seminar by Rachel Quine.

In our newsflashes we share the most interesting and relevant updated about our work and collect information from our members and other individuals and/or organisations working in related fields. Information includes news, local activities, international events, publications, inspiring talks or projects, and much more, taking place in Europe and beyond. Please contact us if you have any comments or any news you would like us to share in our future editions. You can enjoy the previous editions of the EFRJ Newsflashes here. Feel free to forward them to friends or colleagues and invite them to sign up on the EFRJ website!