in Rome the exhibition for the thirtieth anniversary of Intersos- Corriere.it

“The thin Line”, an imaginary journey between Ukraine, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Iraq and Lebanon: Different countries, thousands of kilometers away, but united by emergency situationsfrom conflicts and humanitarian crises that have involved and still involve thousands of people.

They are the looks and eyes of women, children and civilians involved in humanitarian conflicts and crises, which will be exhibited in Rome, starting from 27 October until 6 November in the Maxxi Cornerthe subjects of the shots of Alessio Romenzi and Christian Tasso, photographers who combine talent and experience with a strong attention to the ethical dimension of the image, born from the first-person observation of the different aspects of humanitarian action. Romenzi and Tasso accompany those who observe along an ideal line that directs individual destinies and hopes, tracing the boundary between those who will find help and those who will not, between those who will have hope for the future and those who will not be able to obtain it in a journey made up of places, gazes, moments and stories of life.

Occasion of the exhibition, the thirty years of Intersos, an international humanitarian organization, born in Italy, which operates at the forefront in contexts of war, violence, extreme poverty, natural or human-caused disasters. Since 1992, Intersos has been helping people affected by humanitarian crises, with particular attention to the protection of the most vulnerable people, guaranteeing medical care, distributing basic necessities and offering emergency shelters. And every day, in the most difficult contexts, it contributes to satisfying basic needs such as the right to food, water, health, protection and education, addressing the humanitarian crises that are upsetting the world.

Among the images on display, the children of the last displaced persons camp in Iraq. A limbo for those who have remained and do not know where to go or are not in a position to return to their area of ​​origin. A reality with which, although five years have passed since the Iraqi government declared victory over the Islamic State in Iraq, the displaced population returned to their areas of origin it is still forced to face serious humanitarian needs due to the lack of essential public services, the destruction of homes, conditions of extreme marginalization and economic difficulty.

But also Nigeria in the Gubio camp in Maiduguri, where children play in the sand. And where the armed conflict that has persisted for over a decade in the North East has caused population displacements and compromised access to essential services. Here people in need of humanitarian assistance have increased to 8.7 million and the lives of 370,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition are at risk.

The journey continues with the women covered by the burqa in Afghanistan, where, starting from 15 August 2021, following the takeover by the Taliban, the humanitarian situation in the country has suffered a further, dramatic, deterioration with 24.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. And with a record number of civilians, around 20 million, living in conditions of severe food insecurity and one of the highest rates of child malnutrition in the world.

Then the seven years of war that have reduced Yemen to its extreme, where the consequences of the conflict on civilians and infrastructures are added to extreme climatic phenomena, floods and droughts, and frequent epidemics, aggravating the vulnerability factors. And where beyond 16 million people are in a situation of serious insecurity food.

And finally the invasion of Ukraine that has forced millions of people to leave their homes to seek refuge in areas far from the fighting. With the result that today, according to UNHCR and IOM data, they are over 4 million refugees abroad and over 6 million internally displaced persons. Other faces and other eyes in front of which Romenzi and Tasso place us in front of us.

Humanitarian commitment: exhibition and conference celebrate the organization

An exhibition and a conference for the first 30 years of Intersos, an international humanitarian organization (general manager: Konstantinos Moschochoritis) which operates at the forefront in contexts of war, violence, extreme poverty, natural disasters. The official birthday is next November 25, and it is also an opportunity to promote open reflection on the challenges of the present, looking at the transformations of the humanitarian system and the role of the organization within it. The initiatives related to the 30th anniversary of Intersos will mainly focus on two events that will be held from 27 October to 6 November at the Maxxi in Rome. Tomorrow the photographic exhibition will be inaugurated at the Corner Maxxi, with reports by Alessio Romenzi and Christian Tasso in the main countries where Intersos operates. On 3 and 4 November, again at the Maxxi (in the Carlo Scarpa Room on 3 November and in the Auditorium on 4), a “Humanitarian Congress” will be held, two days of debates with experts on the subject on today’s humanitarian world and on challenges of the future. The goal of the Humanitarian Congress is to strengthen the awareness of the Italian public on humanitarian issues, shed light on forgotten crises and promote the active participation of students in the humanitarian world, through the presence of analysts and communication experts.

The event

The exhibition by Alessio Romenzi and Christian Tasso opens on Thursday 27 October, at 6 pm, in Rome, at the Corner Maxxi (Via Guido Reni 4A). «The thin line. At the border of humanity ”is the title chosen for the exhibition which will remain open until 6 November. The project inaugurates a series of stages to celebrate 30 years of Intersos, the humanitarian organization founded in 1992.