The Long Walk

Lesbos - Greece / 14 August 2015: Refugees and migrants disembark a smuggler speed-boat after crossing the Aegean sea from the Turkish coast to the shores of Lesbos island.

In 2014 the security situation in countries like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan deteriorated dramatically prompting thousands of their citizens to seek refuge in Europe. By July 2015 dozens of small, overcrowded inflatable boats arrived daily on the shores of Greek islands in the Aegean sea, the first point of entry in Europe for refugees seeking safety. From there they would traverse the European continent towards Germany, the destination of choice for the majority of them. A tweet by the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, that went live on August 25, 2015 stating that “#Dublin - proceedings of the Syrian nationals are, as a matter of fact, not yet pursued further by us at present” followed by a statement from the German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a press briefing on August 31, 2015 saying “I put it simply, Germany is a strong country … we have managed so many things - We can do this.” triggered what became one of the biggest population movements Europe had seen since the end of World War II. During the following months more than 1.4 million refugees, primarily from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan crossed the Mediterranean sea and trekked towards Central & Northern Europe using what came to be known as the Balkan Migration Corridor.

A digitally manipulated screen grab of the 

German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees stating:

"#Dublin - proceedings of the Syrian nationals are, as a matter of fact, not yet pursued further by us at present".

Lesbos - Greece / 2 October 2015: An inflatable boat full of refugees arrives on the shores of Lesbos, after crossing the Aegean sea from the Turkish coast to the Greek island.

Lesbos - Greece / 1 October 2015: Afghan refugees try to disembark an inflatable boat after arriving on the shores of Lesbos.

Lesbos - Greece / 14 August 2015: A young boy cries upon his arrival on the shores of Lesbos, having spent 4 hours with his family and other refugees in an inflatable boat that had an engine failure while trying to cross the Aegean sea.

Lesbos - Greece / 12 August 2015: A young woman kneels in relief after arriving safely with her family on the island of Lesbos.

Lesbos - Greece / 17 November 2015: An man lays on a beach of Lesbos, holding his head in relief, after crossing safely the Aegean sea in an inflatable boat with his family.

Lesbos - Greece / 26 November 2015: A group of Syrian refugees walk away from a beach, after the boat they used to cross the Aegean sea run ashore the Greek island of Lesbos.

Lesbos - Greece / 8 October 2015: A discarded lifebuoy seen on the shores of Lesbos.

Lesbos - Greece / 7 October 2015: A volunteer helps a young woman off an inflatable boat after her arrival on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: Refugees waiting to board busses near the unofficial Reszke border crossing with Serbia. 

Horgos - Serbia / 3 September 2015: Refugees and migrants seen crossing the border into Hungary in the middle of the night. 

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: A group of refugees and migrants seen walking near the town of Reszke shortly after crossing the border from Serbia into Hungary.

Reszke - Hungary / 14 September 2015: Near the border with Serbia. 

Idomeni - Greece / 31 August 2015: Refugees and migrants walking through sunflower fields towards the Macedonian border. 

Horgos - Serbia / 15 September 2015: A family of Syrian refugees gather their few belongings before continuing their journey towards the border with Hungary.

Reszke - Hungary / 14 September 2015: A man and a young girl waiting inside a bus to be taken to a registration centre near the Serbo-Hungarian border.

Idomeni - Greece / 13 March 2016: Refugees and migrants at the Idomeni train station after the closure of what came to be known the "Balkan Migration Corridor".

Tovarnik - Croatia / 19 September 2015: Syrian refugees await to board a train that will transport them across Croatia, to the border with Slovenia.

Budapest - Hungary / 5 September 2015: Refugees and migrants walk through the streets of Budapest while trying to reach the border with Austria. 

Budapest - Hungary / 5 September 2015: Refugees and migrants walk through the streets of Budapest while trying to reach the border with Austria.

Macedonian border with Greece / 28 November 2015: Soldiers from the Macedonian Armed Forces building a fence on the border with Greece after a decision by the Macedonian government to restrict access into the country to anyone who is not from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Bapska - Serbia / 26 September 2015: A man carrying his young boy, walks through the corn fields near the Bapska crossing, on the border between Serbia and Croatia. 

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: A team of prisoners, used by the Hungarian government as cheap labor, take a break from building a fence that will eventually seal the Serbo-Hungarian border. 

Idomeni - Greece / 28 November 2015: A group of refugees and migrants protesting the closure of the Greek-Macedonian border clash with Macedonian police.

Idomeni - Greece / 28 November 2015: A group of Macedonian policemen hide behind their riot shields during clashes with refugees and migrants protesting the closure of the Greek-Macedonian border.

Idomeni - Greece / 7 April 2016: A group of refugees and migrants who found themselves stranded in Greece after the closure of the "Balkan Migration Corridor" try to get past a Greek police unit blocking their way towards the border with Macedonia.

Idomeni - Greece / 28 November 2015: A group of Macedonian policemen hide behind their riot shields during clashes with refugees and migrants protesting the closure of the Greek-Macedonian border. 

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: A woman yells at a group of Hungarian policemen who are preventing her from continuing her journey towards the border with Germany. 

Bapska - Serbia / 24 September 2015: A police cordon tape "blocking" the way towards the border with Croatia. 

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: A woman runs through a corn field in an effort to avoid Hungarian police after they tried to force her and other refugees on buses that would transport them to a registration centre near the town of Reszke.

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: A woman and her young daughter run out of a corn field while trying to avoid Hungarian policemen who tried to force her on buses that would transport her to a registration centre near the town of Reszke.

Idomeni - Greece / 3 December 2015: A woman holding a bag with her few belongings, sits with other refugees and migrants in front of a Greek riot police cordon while waiting for her turn to cross the border into Macedonia. 

Greek-Macedonia border / 29 May 2016: Barb-wire marking  the Greek-Macedonia border near the small town of Idomeni. 

Idomeni - Greece / 4 December 2015: Refugees and migrants wait in the middle of the night to cross the Greek-Macedonian border and continue their journey towards Central & Norther European countries.

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: Refugees and migrants trying to push their way on buses near the unofficial Reszke border crossing on the Serbo-Hungarian border.

Gevgelija - Macedonia / 13 September 2015: Refugees and migrants waiting to be allowed to continue their journey through Macedonia.

Idomeni - Greece / 28 November 2015: A young man distributes food to refugees and migrants near the unofficial Idomeni-Gevgelija border crossing. As the borders across the “Balkan Migration Corridor” closed down civilian volunteer organisations and NGO’s took upon themselves to help feed the thousands of people stranded along the route.

Greek-Macedonia border / 29 May 2016: A sleeping-bag used by a refugee trying to cross the border from Greece into Macedonia after the closure of the “Balkan Migration Corridor”.

Reszke - Hungary / 8 September 2015: Camping tents used by refugees and migrants during their journey through Europe are carried away by a wind whirl near the Serbo-Hungarian border.

Reszke - Hungary / 14 September 2015: Near the border with Serbia.

Idomeni - Greece / 21 March 2016: A barb-wire fence marking the Greek-Macedonian border.

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