Award-winning photojournalist Darrin Zammit Lupi is currently exhibiting a selection of his photos on migration in the Swiss capital Bern as part of the United Nations International Organisation for Migration’s 30th anniversary celebrations.

Entitled Migration – Die Zukunft im Ruckblick/The future in hindsight, the exhibition features 28 photographs taken by Zammit Lupi during the 25 years he has been covering the story of irregular migration in various countries, including Malta, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, Syria and on several sea rescue operation missions.

Darrin Zammit Lupi speaks at the Bern event.

Speaking with IOM chief of mission, Berta Fernández-Alfaro during a session at the official opening of the exhibition at the Kornhausforum, in Bern, Zammit Lupi explained how photojournalists are “first and foremost humanitarians”.

“The main reason why we do it is to shake people and if they are in a position to effect change after seeing those photographs then they have to do something about it. There is no excuse. Everyone knows what is happening. You want the photos to have aesthetic value that make people look and look again,” said Zammit Lupi, a former Times of Malta photojournalist.

There is no excuse. Everyone knows what is happening. You want the photos to have aesthetic value that make people look and look again- Darrin Zammit Lupi

Talking about how he feels when photographing migrants in desperate situations, Zammit Lupi pointed out: “The fact that it is them and not us is just an accident of geography and an accident of birth.”

The exhibition was organised in collaboration with IOM (Switzerland and Liechtenstein). Guests included several ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Switzerland, Swiss government officials, academia and NGOs. The main speakers at the opening ceremony included Christine Schraner Burgener, Switzerland’s State Secretary for Migration, and Marie McAuliffe, head of the Migration Research and Publications Division at IOM Geneva.

The exhibition will remain open to the public at the Kornhausforum until March 17 before it is transferred to the State Secretariat for Migration headquarters, in Wabern and to the Swiss Customs Museum in Gandria, Lugano.

Visitors attending the exhibition in Bern.

Visitors attending the exhibition in Bern.

Some of Darrin Zammit Lupi’s photos on migration on display.

Some of Darrin Zammit Lupi’s photos on migration on display.

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