Who We Are
We are a cross-national collective that aims to shed light on human rights violations and the precarious living conditions on the borders of the European Union in order to demand an immediate evacuation of the camps and a change of the EU migration policy.
Personal experiences, anger and pain lay at the basis of this project. It was initiated by Amir, an Afghan living in Camp Moria on Lesbos (Greece) and Noemí, a photographer and photo editor based in the Netherlands. We collected photos, shared stories that document life in the camp and started an Instagram account. Later on, Qutaeba from Sria and Ali and Mostafa from Afghanistan joined. In January 2021 we invited graphic designers worldwide to make posters on the basis of these photographs. On Valentine’s Day a selection of these 446 posters, downloaded and printed, and adorned windows and walls all over the world.
This action was an attempt to make people across Europe aware of the truly inumane situation. Ordinary people using their legal right to flee conflict and human rights abuses are invisible to the European public and politicians. Journalists and photographers are not allowed to visit the new camp while NGO workers are instructed not to take pictures. We are convinced that visibility is key to invoking change.
Individual people like Raoul and communities of graphic designers, street artists, students of political science, organisations etc. joined our movement. It is a decentralised collective with no space for egos or personal interests. Anyone can join. Skills, knowledge and creativity are used to bring awareness about the urgency to take action in their own communities.
Why This Project?
Since August 2020 we — an Afghan refugee living in Camp Moria on Lesbos (Greece) and a photo editor based in the Netherlands — have been collecting photos and sharing stories that document life in the camp. We started an Instagram account: @now_you_see_me_moria. A Syrian refugee there and another Afghan man joined later. It was an attempt to make people across Europe aware of the situation.
Many of the stories were picked up by the media. But nothing has changed. In the meanwhile, visibility has been reduced to almost zero: journalists and photographers are not allowed to the new camp while NGO workers are instructed to not take pictures.
Visibility is key to invoking change. In a collaborative effort we wish to confront fellow citizens and politicians with the outcome of the failing European migration policy. We need change!
By Anne-Linn
