On the Path of Hope – Refugees in today’s Greece | Photography Exhibition by Dimitra Stasinopoulou
From Thursday 19th November 2015, at 20:00, both exhibition areas at the MCF will be filled with colour photos of the long journey made by the refugees to Mytilini, Kos, Leros, Athens, and Eidomeni. Filled with random and passing shots of a destitute people, who, with either a glazed look or a spark of optimism and a secretive smile, face the camera which slowly uncovers that hope for life. A hope for a surrogate homeland. Mothers with children, elderly, young, all of them like all of us, hoping that they just might be able to dream once again of obtaining those life basics: life, security, work, education, peace, a future.
Dimitra Stasinopoulou says of the exhibition (extract): The images of these people are a life lesson to us all and the smiles that we see on the childrens faces is the hope for tomorrow they remind us that this world needs peace and love and that we have to fight for these basic human rights. They dont want to stay in Greece, they know of our problems and they wish to continue their long journey towards Northern Europe with dignity and perseverance, uncertain of what they will find there, but happy that they have made it this far. Their desperation can only be compared to their incredible resilience and optimism.
No country can face this refugee crisis on its own which is a worse crisis than that of the Second World War. The influx of refugees and migrants cannot be stopped at the borders but only at the source in the countries which are forcing them to flee.
I bid them farewell with a deep seeded belief that we must help them in their time of need, as much as we can, and also with a great sense of emotion stirred by their words of gratitude about the kindness of the Greeks.
At the opening of the Exhibition on Thursday 19th of November 2015, at 20:00, personalities from the social and artistic Greek scene, knowledgeable on the refugee matter, have been invited to speak:
Mr. Theophilos Rosenberg, Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Athens, Head of the UOA Post-Graduate Program: International Medicine Management of Health Crisis and founder of the Greek department of the Doctors of the World, Mr Nikitas Kanakis, President of Doctors of the World, Ms Maria Dimitrakopoulou-Siouna, former member of the National Commission for Human Rights, and the artists collaborators of the MCF, George Kotanidis, actor, and Karmen Rouggeri, director.
Dimitra Stasinopoulou was born in Athens in 1953. After her studies, she worked in banking for twenty five years and following that in the family business in Romania. During the last few years she has become involved in photography. In December 2005 her first book was published, entitled Romania of my Heart, which was awarded the UNESCO prize. Since then, her love of travelling to unique corners of the Earth and her need to share the images she brought back with her, prompted her to publish books about Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea.
Her photographs have received awards at international competitions and have been exhibited in Greece and abroad.
Information:
Thursday 19th November until Sunday 13th December 2015
Photography Exhibition
On the Path of Hope – Refugees in today’s Greece
By Dimitra Stasinopoulou
Opening: Thursday 19th November 2015, at 20:00
Hall: Exhibition areas of the 1st and 2nd floor
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 18:00 22:00
Free Entrance
