Traces through Europe
...is a growing exhibition, starting at the outer borders of the European Union.
Traces through Europe is telling the story of those who are on their journey through Europe. They talk about successful arrivals without a fingerprint registered and about their precarious future of forced return. About the trap called Dublin II, when they were to be deported back to Greece for example – and about successful struggles against this deportation threat. Narrations about temporary arrangements with more or less precarious jobs in Athens and about the attempts to overcome the Dublin border to Italy twice and more times. And it is always about the next steps towards a right to stay in Europe.
As they say: We came to stay!
Their stories are directly linked to w2eu.info, which was created to support the journey of those leaving traces on european soil by giving information and useful contacts. w2eu.info is growing in direct contact with their ideas, questions and practical experiences.
How the exhibition started:
One year after the Noborder camp in Lesvos we followed the traces of those who started their stay in Europe with a step on the island’s soil. They came with small plastic boats, a dangerous trip from Turkey through the Aegean Sea. It was just the first salty step. They came to move further within Europe. We met most of them during the time of Noborder and most of them were strongly involved in the struggles against the detention camp Pagani, a place that many now know as a symbol of then inhuman European detention policy and that finally had to be closed down. The ones who had been fighting for its closure, were then on the move to all parts of Europe.
Through the frist part of the exhibition ("Traces from Lesvos through Europe") the migrants’ voices returned to the place of their first struggle in Europe. To thank all the silent supporters who helped them on the island. And to take part in this years Noborder activities. As long as most of them have no chance to travel freely in Europe, at least their pictures and stories can move freely.
Traces through Europe is a growing exhibition. Next projects:
Traces from Choucha (background information: http://www.afrique-europe-interact.net/)
Traces from Ushgorod (background information: http://bordermonitoring-ukraine.eu/)
Welcome to Europe Network, http://w2eu.net
If you are interested to invite the exhibition:
Contact: traces(at)w2eu.net
Languages: English and Greek
Website: http://traces.w2eu.net/