IT24 CAE- DIGNITY – Exhibition: the Leros Asylum

During the mobility in Italy the students met Antonella Pizzamiglio, a photo reporter who at the age of 23 risked her life to denounce the inhuman and cruel situation of the  mentally ill people who were kept in the Leros Asylum. Her friend was franco Rotelli, a psychiatrist  who worked in Trieste and with his help she could enter the asylum on the island of Leros in 1989. In the asylum there were 1500 people, men, women and children. Once inside she was shocked to see how these ill people were mistreated and abused and started to take photographs of them. Unfortunately she was discovered, but she was able to run away with the pictures and to denounce the bad living conditions of the sectioned patients. With the help of her friend psychiatrist Rotelli the case of Leros became known to the European commission. Itt was the beginning of a change to return dignity to human beings. The photo reporter wanted to give the students an important message: everyone can change things in the world, every one can help to improve human conditions and fight for respect and dignity.

Students learnt how important social engagement can be to save human lives and to restore dignity. 

They became aware that respecting human dignity serves as a basis for promoting human rights, peaceful coexistence and a democratic society