Mayor: Panagiotis Simandirakis
Chania has a history of more than 50 centuries marked by different civilizations, leaving a strong mark on the island of Crete and the wider Mediterranean area. The History, the natural landscape and the monuments blend harmoniously in the modern city of Chania traveling the visitor from prehistory to the present.
Chania is the second largest city in Crete and historically a maritime crossroad of three continents. Its main advantages are the incomparable natural landscape, which remains largely virgin until today, in combination with the rich cultural heritage. This cultural melting pot constantly attracts people from all over the world, who want to meet Crete and experience Cretan life.
The goal of the Municipality of Chania has been from the beginning the integration of migrants into the local community with respect, acceptance and parity.
When we talk about interculturalism, we are not merely talking about coexistence of different cultures. Interculturalism is a much broader concept: it means actively supporting acceptance, active participation, and respect for all.
Panagiotis Simandirakis, Mayor of Chaniar
General Population
111.375
*ELSTAT (2021 Census)
See below Social Services and Programs by the Municipality of Chania.
From March 2021, the Municipality of Chania launched the first Social Laundry in Greece, a new facility offering a holistic approach to personal hygiene and care that is accessible by the vulnerable citizens of Chania.
Specifically, the facilities include: public baths, washing machines and dryers, free supply of clothing, footwear and linen, and free access to a PC and TV. In addition, beneficiaries can be referred to housing, catering, psychological support and counseling services.
Beneficiaries of the Social Laundry are people living in Chania regardless of nationality.
The social grocery store distributes on a fixed and regular basis and depending on the needs of the beneficiaries in the following items: Packaged food and groceries, personal hygiene items, frozen products
It also connects with local businesses, schools, citizen pharmacies, clinics, etc., and with the entire local community for the collection of the above products and the offering of more complementary goods, strengthening the consciousness of solidarity, supply and equality in access to basic goods.
MOREThe purpose of KDAP is to make appropriate use of each child’s free time, helping them to express themselves, to develop, to develop their creativity and imagination, with the ultimate goal being the all-round development of the child.
MOREThe Community Center is the citizen’s first point of contact with the social service of each Municipality. From there, the citizen is informed about all the benefits to which he is entitled, all the institutions, services and programs that provide him with social care of any kind, at the level of Municipality, Region or territory. The “Community Center” and the Roma branch of the Community Center operate as a complementary structure to the Social Service of the Municipality of Chania and are supervised by the Directorate of Social Protection, Education, Sports and Culture of the Municipality of Chania.
MOREThe social tutoring center aims to offer equal opportunities in learning, providing free lessons to students and graduates of secondary education, who join tutoring centers of the Union of Middle Education Caregivers of the Prefecture of Chania for free. The selection of the students who will join the specific program is based on economic and social criteria, such as unemployment, single parenthood, disability, etc.
MOREThe Municipality of Chania, aiming to deal with the phenomenon of domestic violence, started to operate the “Hostel for Women Victims of Violence and their Children,” within the operational program of the Ministry of the Interior and specifically of the General Secretariat for Gender Equality “Development of Local Structures and Services Self-Government for the benefit of women and to combat violence” and funded by the NSRF. For the period 2014-2020, its funding continued from OP Crete 2014-2020
The Guest House operates 24 hours a day, throughout the year. Its premises hosts women victims of psychological, emotional, verbal, physical, sexual, racial, social, economic violence and abuse, as well as women who have been victims of prostitution or trafficking.
MOREThe Help at Home Programme provides counseling and psycho-emotional support, nursing care, household care, companionship, micro-shopping, bill payment, assistance with personal hygiene and other services deemed necessary. The services are provided with periodic visits of the staff to the homes of the served according to their individual needs.
MOREFor Homeless Accommodation, the Department of Social Policy of the Municipality of Chania supports cases of homeless fellow citizens who need temporary accommodation.
In addition, to prevent exposure of the homeless to dangers, during adverse weather conditions, the Municipality arranges for their accommodation in specially designed municipal spaces. which operate on a 24-hour basis.
