Ventimiglia

Life under a bridge

Copyright © 2023 Alessio Cassaro. All rights reserved.
Ventimiglia – Life under a bridge

Ventimiglia, on the Italian-French border many migrants try to cross the border in any way to reach France, many are rejected illegally, contrary to international agreements, many minors are often given false documents (simply changing the date of birth) which in addition not to let the boy pass, create numerous problems for him because they often lead to an obligation to abandon European soil in a short time such as 7 days. Many of these are welcomed by organized or spontaneous humanitarian associations but certainly not enough to cover the enormity of the phenomenon. For this reason, many young people are forced to live in extreme conditions, for example under a bridge among wild boars, organ traffickers, prostitution lords, passers-by and so on, as well as the constant threat of epidemic diseases and atmospheric agents. Some have given up (due to circumstances or the expiry of the Dublin Treaty or other) to cross the border and have effectively become homeless citizens, therefore people of another category with rights and needs completely different from migrants. Many others, however, remain confident and optimistic, maintaining high morale by seeking “alternative” ways of crossing the border (often facing mortal danger) and leaving behind the days of Ventimiglia which are very dangerous for them, emotionally as well as physically. Others after years of traveling around Europe are “Dublinized” and, not knowing where to go, return to Ventimiglia… everyone has their own story, sometimes similar but completely unique, often made up of journeys that last years.