Opening of the photo exhibition "Покидаю / Leaving behind"

The opening of the photo exhibition of MdM’ s Greece entitled “Покидаю / Leaving behind*” took place on Tuesday 14.02 with a large turnout. From the podium of the Serafio, where the photo exhibition is being held with free admission to the public on Wednesday 15.02 and Thursday 16.02, MdM President Hara Tziouvara expressed her full support for the people who continue to be harmed and affected by the war in Ukraine.

Referring to the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, she stressed that “we must immediately join forces and work to ensure access and delivery of humanitarian aid to the affected populations and claim the enlargement of the humanitarian space”.

The photo exhibition Покидаю / Leaving behind and its thematic discussions are held in the framework of the program O.D.I.SO.S Open Democracy in a Society of Solidarity , details of which were given by Nikitas Kanakis, former president of MdM and member of the Board of Directors of the MdM and Asef Farjam, sociologist, consultant and intercultural mediator and founding member of the Hellenic U.S. Alumni Association, -graduates of the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.

At the same time, the Minister of Health Thanos Plevris pledged that the Greek State will stand by the work of MdM in the next difficult mission towards our fellow human beings who are being tested. “Everything possible to facilitate your work,” he stated.

In the opening speech of the event, the Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis, said that “the exhibition reflects the drop of humanity that touches us all”, thanking Doctors of the World for their humanitarian action. For his part, the Ambassador of Ukraine in Athens, Sergii Shutenko, stressed that MdM offers love and without love, without empathy, this exhibition would not have been possible and thanked Greece for choosing the right side of history. The expression of love was also mentioned by Maria Olson, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of the United States of America in Athens, stressing that the photos of the exhibition are an expression of love and support to our fellow human beings in need, while thanking MdM for their action. “We have an obligation not to forget, to continue to support the Ukrainian people,” Ms. Olson said. “The exhibition is a record of a story, a story of humanism through the visualized narrative of Yannis Yannakopoulos, each person finds his own truth and most importantly does not forget,” said among others the Dean of the School of Health Sciences of the University of Athens Emmanuel Pikoulis.

During the event, commendations were awarded to the volunteers who selflessly participated in the MdM mission in Ukraine.

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

*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.

Exhibition information:

Serafio of City of Athens – Echelides 17 & Piraeus 144