On New Year’s Day on the Greek island of Lesbos, aid workers gathered to create a huge peace sign made out of lifejackets. Around 3,000 lifejackets were gathered by humanitarians from the Doctors Without Borders-Greenpeace team and other aid groups such as Sea-Watch and the Dutch Refugee Boat Foundation, who arranged them into the iconic symbol on a hill.
An estimated 500,000 asylum seekers crossed the Aegean Sea to Lesbos in 2015, fleeing conflict and persecution in countries such as Syria and Iraq. Some of the lifejackets included in the image were worn by those who perished during the crossing.
Greenpeace reported that in December, over 100,000 people attempted the perilous crossing to the Greek islands, braving stormy weather and winter seas.
More than 3,700 died in 2015 trying to cross the sea into Europe.
On their website, Greenpeace urged people to support refugees and those helping them by sharing the image of the peace sign.
“We also urge our supporters to share the peace sign image in honour of the refugees and migrants and as a way of thanks to the volunteers and local communities on Lesbos working to ensure that 2016 can start with a safe passage.”
