Two Scouts receive McCain Prize on behalf of Lesvos

Two Greek Scouts have received the inaugural John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada on behalf of all the residents of the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos for their “heroic support” of refugees.

The prize was received on Saturday by Xenofon Koukouras, a student at the University of Piraeus, and Yiannis Svoros, a student at a training college on Lesvos.

Cindy McCain, the widow of the respected US statesman, has said the award recognizes the sacrifices made by the residents of Lesvos to offer security, comfort and hope to refugees so that they could survive the difficult situation they found themselves in.

Lesvos has been on the front line of the migration crisis since it broke out in 2015.

In 2016, the islanders were also nominated for their efforts by a group of academics for the Nobel Peace Prize.