Every year, in Greece and abroad, homophobic and transphobic attacks increase. According to the annual report of the Racist Violence Incident Reporting Network, in 2023 attacks doubled compared to the previous year. Now, more than ever, each and every one of us must take a stand against any abusive behaviour. Not to turn a blind eye, to be informed, to react, to be active citizens. Because even if it does not concern us, it concerns us.

Onassis Stegi returns at Athens Pride 2025, celebrating its 20th anniversary with a visibility campaign. A call to all of us keep our eyes open, realizing that this is ultimately our strength. In the STAY AWAKE campaign, we see three episodes of abuse of the LGBTQ+ community in different settings: in the family, at school and in the public sphere. And while the victims are being victimized, the surroundings are as if they have fallen into a slumber, sleeping without reacting to what is happening. But at some point they wake up, turning their gaze towards the perpetrator, a gaze with great power and even greater impact, bringing with it the air of change. And so the attack stops. For if we stay awake, awake, awake, awake, we can reverse the flow of history.

The campaign, commissioned and produced by the Onassis Foundation’s Stegi, was directed by Alkis Papastathopoulos (“Gomenaki”, “Hyped”, “Honeymoon”), produced by Polymnia Papadopoulou Sardeli, with cinematography by Areti Papaioannou. The campaign features the musical piece “To Niosimo” by PAN PAN, with the participation of Lamprini Golia, courtesy of MINOS EMI SA. From the Communication & Content Department of the Onassis Foundation, the following collaborated: Dimitris Drivas (Head of Communication & Content), Nikos Athanasopoulos (Project Manager), Alexandros Roukoutakis (Content Leader), Christos Sarris (Head of Creative), Elizabetta Ilia Georgiadou (Script), Vasilis Bibas (Social Media Manager), Daniil Vergiadis (Campaign Manager), Elena Choremi (Audiovisual Producer), and Angeliki Avgeri (Audiovisual Line Producer).