Haunting Exhibition in Rania Exposes Grim Toll of Missing Migrants
Sponsored by the Polish Consulate in the Kurdistan Region and organized in collaboration with the Kurdistan Center for Art and Culture (KCAC), the event has ignited calls for urgent awareness and reform.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a display of art and reality, a special exhibition shedding light on the plight of missing migrants opened in Rania, drawing attention to the harrowing dangers of illegal migration routes.
Sponsored by the Polish Consulate in the Kurdistan Region and organized in collaboration with the Kurdistan Center for Art and Culture (KCAC), the event has ignited calls for urgent awareness and reform.
The exhibition utilizes stark photographs and immersive audio-visual displays to document the suffering endured by families who have lost loved ones to perilous migration journeys.
Photographers Shamal Hisamaddin and Hardi Kurda presented deeply moving stories that capture the relentless struggle of those waiting for news of missing relatives.
Attendees included dignitaries such as the Polish Consul General to the Kurdistan Region and Ziyad Rauf, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s representative to Poland.
Rauf told Kurdistan24, "It is crucial to showcase these hardships through artistic and photographic work to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal migration routes and discourage others from pursuing similar paths."
The exhibition comes at a critical time, as the independent administration of Raparin has recorded some of the highest numbers of individuals attempting illegal migration to Europe.
Bakr Ali, head of the European Returnee Refugees Association, highlighted the gravity of the situation by revealing that "367 migrants from the Kurdistan Region have either gone missing or lost their lives through illegal migration routes."
He urged media outlets to intensify their coverage of this pressing issue, emphasizing that increased public awareness is key to preventing further tragedies.
By exposing the stark realities of undocumented migration, the exhibition not only honors the memory of those lost but also serves as a call to action for governments and communities to address the root causes of this crisis.
Kurdistan24's reporter Heval Mala contributed to this report.