Покидаю / Leaving behind in Thessaloniki

After the successful opening in Athens, MdM-Greece will present the photographic exhibition entitled “Покидаю / Leaving behind*” in Thessaloniki from 10.03-12.03 at the Goethe Institute.

The photo exhibition is presented within the framework of the program O.D.I.SO.S Open Democracy in a Society of Solidarity, which is implemented with the support of the US Embassy. in Greece and the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund.

The photo exhibition aims to inform about the refugee crisis from Ukraine. Having completed one year of humanitarian action in Ukraine, Médecins du Monde Greece present a series of 32 photos about the mission of the Médecins du Monde in Ukraine and on the border between Ukraine and Romania.

Moreover, through the lens of the distinguished photographer Yiannis Giannakopoulos, the photographs have a strong narrative character and capture everything that the Médecins du Monde Greece saw, strongly experienced and witnessed. The camera has focused many times on children, women and the Third Age, that sensitive side of the groups that are the number 1 target (intentionally or not) of the modern tragedies that humanity is experiencing.

Through the exhibition “Покидаю / Leaving behind”, the Médecins du Monde Greece seek to share common truths and common initiatives with the public.

“In my eyes this photo has a peculiarity… it becomes familiar to me over time. It’s the colors, the whole setting, the sunset, the snow on her, the fog, the dividing ribbon, but also something else… I can’t define it… maybe because in her place it could be any one of us…She’s a human being who’s cold, hungry, but trying to get somewhere better…it could be all of us…”

Yiannis Giannakopoulos

Médecins du Monde Greece have so far collected over 100 tons of emergency supplies (mainly medicines and medical supplies) and have already carried out 25 humanitarian missions to Ukraine, accompanying the emergency supplies. So far, MdM-Greece activities for Ukraine have directly benefited more than 17,000 people, while the number of indirect beneficiaries is at around 550,000.

The main purpose of Médecins du Monde is to further raise public awareness of the harsh reality experienced by millions of people in the world, as well as to take initiatives for an optimistic and hopeful tomorrow.

*The title of the exhibition with the Ukrainian word Покидаю (pronounced Pokydayu) conveys the meaning of violent and sudden rout, of being forced into an involuntary rout.