Children of Migration
14 November 2003 – 1 February 2004
Press conference, 14 November 2004, 11:00 a.m.
The German Foundation for the UN Refugee Agency will present 90 portraits
of children by the world famous Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado.
His moving black & white photographs show faces of refugee children
which are full of character and ‘which, like windows, can be
seen through into their souls.’(Salgado):
Children who do not understand why they are being pursued, why their
families are being ripped apart, and why their parents, relatives
and friends are being murdered before their eyes. Yet these children
also dream of a better future, want to be happy and boisterous again
and have a hunger for life. Their faces mirror the vulnerability,
fear, sorrow, but also hope, pride and over and again incredible energy.
These photographs exude captivating power and sensibility, their excellent
composition and feeling for light are impressive. Salgado captured
each of these children in a moment of quietness. As a result, refugee
children who would otherwise have remained anonymous are presented
to the public as real people with their own character and individual
history. Approximately 40 million people have fled from war and violence
worldwide - about half of them are children. The UN Refugee Agency
is trying to bring public attention to their fate and Salgado’s
portraits tell stories of their lives, making them more visible, because
only when they are seen can they hope to receive help. |
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