"No dinghies, only people" wants to make us reflect on a fact. Very often we forget that behind an object, the dinghy, there are life stories. โฃ
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In 2022, 104,061 people arrived in Italy by sea, compared to 67,034 in 2021 and 34,000 in 2020.โฃ
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By sea does not mean by cruise ships, boats or commercial ferries. By sea means using inflatable, old and overcrowded boats.โฃ
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The same inflatable boats that tourists or inhabitants of Italian lakes use for sightseeing are used to cross the sea.โฃ
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More and more people risk their lives, and know they are risking them, because they think that a possible life of redemption in Europe is better than a secure life of misery in their country of origin. โฃ
The same reasoning as for 19th and 20th century Italian migrants. They too were people, and not objects, full of dreams, ambitions, and a desire for redemption.
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The countries of origin of migrants by sea are mainly Egypt, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Syria and Afghanistan.โฃ
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The next time we go to get petrol, eat a pizza, or wash the car, or eat a kebab, let's pay attention to who is behind that service. โฃ
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Let's pay attention to the stories of those who arrive, not just those of those who leave. โฃ
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We all live in multiple identities, but too often we focus on the few identities that divide us.
We may be of different religions, or different ethnicities, but we might also both be football fans, university graduates, parents, or siblings.
In Italy there are many Kledi, Ermal, Mahmoud, Anbeta to be valued.
No boats, just people.
