Travels We Gaan Ze Halen

On 21st December 2018, a solidarity convoy of 60 drivers set forth from the Dutch city of Utrecht, bound for Athens in Greece. I was among them. Our mission was to uplift refugees by demonstrating that the people of Europe would stand up for their rights and demand fair treatment from our governments. Additionally, we delivered warm winter clothing and, perhaps most crucially, aimed to draw the world's attention to these seemingly forgotten souls teetering on the edge of our continent.

We Gaan Ze Halen (Let’s Bring Them Here, LBTH) has repeatedly challenged the Dutch government to honour their Relocation promises (EU decision 1601 and 1523, signed in 2015). While politicians hesitated, fearing backlash from right-wing populists, conditions in the camps in Greece rapidly worsened, and the lives of more than 16,000 people were being shattered. A humanitarian disaster was—and is—unfolding.

To underscore the urgency, 60 citizens drove 3000 kilometres from Amsterdam to Athens in wintry conditions to evacuate refugees. They announced to the Greek government their intention to bring home 150 refugees if a bilateral agreement was signed. On Christmas Eve, the convoy reached Athens, delivered a petition to parliament, and celebrated this feast of light amidst darkness with refugees, locals, and volunteers. On 25th December, a conference was held titled ‘How to proceed on our own if governments refuse to act’.

The convoy succeeded in temporarily thrusting this dire situation to the forefront of the political agenda, thanks to the significant attention garnered from both local and international media.This album contains the images I captured for EO Visie Magazine. As an embedded reporter, I provided daily updates for their readers.