SOS Méditerranée, a maritime rescue charity, is holding its first Escales Solidaires festival in Paris to raise awareness and gain support for migrants and asylum seekers crossing the Mediterranean Sea. This sea route is known as one of the most dangerous paths for people fleeing war, poverty, and persecution. The festival, which runs until January 7, is taking place in Paris and the Seine-Saint-Denis area.
The goal of the festival is to show the personal, human side of migration, moving away from just the cold statistics. Through photography, film, and performance, the festival helps people understand the individual stories behind the number of people crossing the Mediterranean. SOS Méditerranée has been running rescue missions since 2015 and has saved more than 40,000 lives. However, it costs around €24,000 every day to keep these operations going.
An important part of the festival is an outdoor exhibition along the Seine River, where visitors can see the work of 30 photographers. These photographers have spent years documenting the rescue missions of SOS Méditerranée’s ships, the Aquarius and Ocean Viking. One of the photographers, Jérémie Lusseau, spoke about how he asked crew members and survivors to share an object that was important to them and explain why it meant so much. This personal touch helps bring attention to the individual experiences of the people being rescued.
Another powerful image comes from Belgian photographer Johanna de Tessières, who took a portrait of an eight-year-old boy named Ali. He had already suffered a lot, having been imprisoned in Libya, and was now trying to make the dangerous journey alone. The photo deeply moved de Tessières, showing how young children are forced to endure such hardships.
Sabine Grenard, who is in charge of events at SOS Méditerranée, explained that the festival aims to remind everyone that behind the word “migrant” are real people with their own stories. It’s important to remember that these are not just statistics, but children, women, and men, each with their own unique experiences.
Sadly, the situation in the Mediterranean is becoming even more dangerous. In October 2024, 125 people were either killed or went missing while trying to cross, a big increase from the previous year when 83 people died. In the summer of 2023, the number of casualties was the highest since 2016, with 831 people losing their lives or disappearing in the month of June alone.
SOS Méditerranée continues to operate rescue missions to save lives, but with the situation getting worse, the need for international support is even more urgent. The Escales Solidaires festival plays an important role in raising awareness about this ongoing humanitarian crisis and encouraging people to take action and help save lives.