Knowledge Hub
'And so, I fled': exhibition on Democratic Republic of Congo
A multimedia exhibition in London organised by Concern Worldwide seeks to share the compelling stories of people displaced and directly impacted by the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
'And so, I fled: DRC - the crisis the world ignored' focuses on the lives of individuals who have been forced to flee their homes in eastern DRC - the region worst-affected by the conflict. Many of them have lost their homes, sources of income and land.
With photos by Concern's Eugene Wachira Ikua, an immersive video wall and audio recordings, the exhibition features first person accounts of nine people living in Eastern DRC, who share how years of conflict have overshadowed their daily lives. They describe how they have been impacted by this largely neglected crisis, and how they are finding ways to survive, adapt and recover.
The exhibition, which opens in the Oxo Gallery, London, on 1 October, also details the difference support from Concern and humanitarian partners ACTED, Congo Handicap, Danish Refugee Council, and Première Urgence Internationale is making to those most-affected, through the Enabling Affected Communities to Survive and Thrive (EAST) project, funded by the UK government.
The decades-long conflict in DRC has forced more than 7.2 million people from their homes, making it the second largest internal displacement crisis in Africa and one of the worst in the world. DRC also faces one of the world’s worst hunger emergencies. But despite its scale and severity, the crisis remains largely ignored by the rest of the world.
'And so, I fled: DRC - the crisis the world ignored' opens on Wednesday 1 October and runs until Sunday 5 October in the Oxo Gallery, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House St, London SE1 9PH.
The gallery is open Wednesday - Sunday, 11am-6pm.
WARNING: The exhibition features themes of physical and sexual violence and is intended for a mature audience.
