Returning to Lesvos: June 2025 mission

In June 2025, just a few weeks after the Lesvos spring mission, the Emergency Smile team returned to Lesvos to continue their work. Craig Russell once again led the mission, joined by clown artists Florentine (RED NOSES Germany), Alaa (RED NOSES Palestine) and Marko (RED NOSES Slovenia). Tina joined as Artistic Support Person, working closely with the team during the first week to shape and refine the show.

The first week focused on rehearsals and preparing the show, with Tina supporting the team artistically. In the second week, the team began their visits, returning to familiar places like the Iliaktida Disability Centre. 

The third week coincided with World Refugee Day, offering special opportunities to celebrate the day with performances and creative activities. The team visited several locations, including Paréa, the IOM Safe Area, and various Iliaktida shelters.

The celebrations were held in Paréa, where a two-day programme included shows, parades, music, and shared meals prepared by a local Syrian restaurant, supported through RED NOSES funding.

Later that week, the clowns joined Siniparxi for a performance in Sappho Square in central Mitilini, bringing smiles to locals and passers-by while helping shine a different kind of light on the experiences of displaced communities.

In the final week, the team supported Because We Carry’s flea market event, entertaining children while their mothers browsed and chatted. On Thursday evening, they returned for the women-only dance night, creating a safe space for women to remove their hijabs, dance freely, and reconnect with each other. Thanks to a privacy screen, the male clown artists were able to stay outside with the children, while Florentine joined the women on the dance floor.

The team also led three Humour Relief workshops for staff and volunteers from Euro Relief. These sessions focused on emotional connection, team-building, and practical techniques for working with children—using play, simple clowning techniques, and magic tricks to encourage creativity and help build more human, empathetic interactions in daily work.