Lesvos, the island symbolising refuge and solidarity, came alive once again through a three-day journey of history and memory
“Lesvos 2015 - 10 Years Later”
“Simply overwhelming. I’m sorry I can’t write more. I have no words… Thank you for this entire project, for all the stories and images you shared, delving into memory and the pain that such a process can carry.”
From the exhibition’s guestbook
Highlights from the three-day event.
Music: minder 2 inst mix ab oz provided by mobygratis. #mobygratis
Photos: RSA, Marily Stroux
Highlights from the three-day event
The three-day event “Lesvos 2015 – 10 Years Later”, organised by Refugee Support Aegean (RSA) with the support of PRO ASYL, took place in Mytilene on 18-20 October and concluded with remarkable success, emotion and public participation.
The neoclassical house on 17 James Aristarchou Street – a historic mansion, itself part of the island’s local history – opened its doors to host photographs, testimonies and musical memories from the summer of 2015, the year when Lesvos became a symbol of refuge, humanity, and solidarity.
Throughout the three days, hundreds of people visited the exhibition space, walking among photographs, words, and sounds. They read the 30 testimonies of refugees, residents and volunteers; listened to excerpts from the interviews; watched videos from 2015; and let themselves be carried away by the collective playlist of songs chosen by those who shared their stories – songs that reminded them of Lesvos in that year. Among the visitors were also many who had been on the front lines in 2015 and shared their experiences once again. Mementos brought by island residents, photographs and personal stories came together to form a common thread of remembrance and emotional reconnection.
“Through this exhibition, today I ‘walked’ through
the history of my island! Thank you!”
From the exhibition’s guestbook
Excerpts from the discussion
Detailed coverage and video from the event
On Saturday evening, the discussion, with the participation of at least 200 people, including refugees, locals, and international visitors, turned into a vibrant, multi-voiced gathering of memory. The event became a space of shared reflective experience, a kind of “living museum” of solidarity, as beautifully described by Thrasos Avraam in his report for Sto Nisi. The stories shared by the participants brought back to light moments and faces that shaped the island’s collective memory, from the grandmothers of Skala Sykamias and the groups of Molyvos and Kalloni, to the fishermen, residents and international volunteers. Everyone recalled the Lesvos of spontaneous, everyday solidarity.
The discussion was followed by a warm evening of companionship with music from Asia Minor, allowing space for conversation, smiles, and a sense of warmth after the emotion and intensity of the day.
On Sunday, the hall of Cine Arion was filled to the very steps for the screening of “I Will Cross Tomorrow” by Iranian director Sepideh Farsi. After the screening, the audience engaged in a lively discussion with actor Vassilis Koukalani, in a lively exchange of reflections that continued the journey of memory and emotion, shedding light on the deep relationship between art, society and collective struggle.
The response of the local community was deeply moving. The three-day event became a space of encounter, dialogue and reconnection, bringing back to the forefront the acts of solidarity and humanity that marked Lesvos and continue to define it.
“A wonderful exhibition about the ‘island of solidarity,’
our beloved Lesvos. Very important testimonies and photographs.
Congratulations!”
From the exhibition’s guestbook
We warmly thank everyone who contributed to making this exhibition possible – those who shared their stories, sent photographs, helped with the organisation, or visited the space and embraced this initiative.
Mytilene was the starting point of a journey of memory and oral history; the exhibition “Lesvos 2015 – 10 Years Later” will continue this journey to other cities in Greece and abroad. Inspired by the Afghan saying shared with us by Nasim during his interview, “The caravan went from place to place, and the stories of its leader remained in every place,” this exhibition also seeks to travel itself, leaving behind stories, memories and emotions in every stop along the way.