(Thumbnail photo by Claire Thomas)

Today marks International Youth Day, a global milestone for recognizing the incredible potential of youth to advance global peace and development. To mark the occasion, Narratio is pleased to announce an editorial partnership with Lighthouse Relief, an NGO that provides emergency and long-term support to refugees in Greece, with a focus on women, children and youth. Most recently, Lighthouse Relief has assisted young asylum seekers in Ritsona refugee camp to develop a youth-run magazine that boldly showcases their experiences and creativity through art and writing. Starting next week, Narratio will be posting snippets from this remarkable publication, which can be viewed in full here.

For the past several months, the sounds of laughter, music and the paint splatters have resonated powerfully through the walls of Lighthouse Relief’s Youth Engagement Space (YES) at Ritsona refugee camp in mainland Greece. When the space was first installed earlier this year, these noises came as a surprise for passersbys – shattering all assumptions of what you’d expect to hear in a sprawling Greek refugee camp. Yet, for the young adults that then frequented the space, these were just the daily reverberations that accompanied the development of an exciting group project which, slowly but surely, was nearing completion.

In April, youth in Ritsona finally revealed to their family and friends what they’d been working on together in the space. Proudly, they announced the creation of the Ritsona Kingdom Journal, a youth-run magazine that compiled their artwork, personal essays and creative writing in one place. This powerful content, previously kept in private journals and sketchpads, was now stapled together in a publication for their closely-knit community to enjoy.

Top: Residents and humanitarian aid workers in Ritsona refugee camp attend the first launch of the Ritsona Kingdom Journal in April 2017 (Photo by Beth Solis). Bottom: Youth contributors celebrate the successful completion of their first edition (Photo by Charlotte Boucht) 

The making of the Ritsona Kingdom Journal was a labor of love. In many ways, it began in February 2017, when Lighthouse Relief officially launched its pilot YES programme in the camp. Through this initiative, youth aged 16-25 had the opportunity to participate in creative workshops, ranging from painting and photography to poetry and journalism. These accumulated an incredible body of work that proved their talent and untapped potential.

The choice to launch a magazine that served to compile and share this work naturally followed. Together they named it the Ritsona Kingdom Journal in reference to the “Ritsona kingdom” they called home. Lighthouse Relief’s dedicated staff and volunteers supported them every step of the way, but Ritsona’s inspiring young men and women spearheaded the effort from start to finish.

Above: Youth participate in creative workshops at Lighthouse Relief’s Youth Engagement Space at Ritsona refugee camp. (Photos Courtesty of Lighthouse Relief)

Since then, the Ritsona Kingdom Journal has published two editions, produced within just a few months of each other. It offers unique insight into youth experiences in Ritsona, as well as their perspectives on broader legal and political dynamics surrounding the European refugee situation. From letters to global leaders to honest reflections on the European asylum process, the magazine serves as a powerful reminder of the inspiring potential of refugee youth advocacy.

As the desire to raise their voice intensified, youth in Ritsona faced an important decision: continue to circulate the magazine exclusively within their community, or begin to share it with a broader global audience. Lighthouse Relief offered guidance throughout this process, encouraging thoughtful consideration on how to best share youth stories in a way that still protects their privacy. The choice to widely disseminate the magazine was, proudly and unambiguously, driven by the youth themselves.

Above: Cover of the second edition of the Ritsona Kingdom Journal hangs proudly on the wall of Lighthouse Relief’s Youth Engagement Space (YES). (Photo by Aanjalie Collure)

Above: Cover of the second edition of the Ritsona Kingdom Journal hangs proudly on the wall of Lighthouse Relief’s Youth Engagement Space (YES). (Photo by Aanjalie Collure)

To view all content and available editions of the magazine, please visit the Ritsona Kingdom Journal Digital Exhibit, which goes live on the Lighthouse Relief webpage on International Youth Day (August 12th).

We hope that you'll join us in celebrating the public launch of the Ritsona Kingdom Journal – and the incredible young people behind this effort. 


Lighthouse Relief relies on the generous contributions of its donors to power amazing initiatives like this one. This International Youth Day, consider supporting these efforts by donating here: http://www.lighthouserelief.org/donations