Photographs
Giorgos Syrianos, Cheesemaker and Livestock Breeder in Mykonos
“The lockdown was a rough patch for us, because we closed the dairy. We sell our products mainly on the local market and hope that the situation will get better and the tourism will return to some extent, allowing us to sell.”
Giorgos Syrianos, Cheesemaker and Livestock Breeder in Mykonos
Makis Kontizas, Mykonos open-air cinema
“We weed the plot to see the final number of seats allows and await for the instructions of Civil Protection”
Makis Kontizas, Mykonos open-air cinema
Michalis Kontizas, Mykonos Municipality Clerk
Michalis Kontizas, Mykonos Municipality Clerk
“As soon as I came here, the coronavirus appeared too. Then I said to myself that I had to do something about it, or I would lose my mind. So I decided to offer free English language lessons to the refugees that are trapped here”
Farid Sidiqi, Afghanistan
“I was eight months pregnant and a month ago I lost my baby. Now I’m stuck in Greece and cannot continue my journey to Germany, because of the coronavirus”
Amina Saada, 35 y.o., Palestine
“When I came to Greece, they promised me I would stay in a beautiful house. Instead, I was brought at a camp and live with 700 other refugees running the risk of getting coronavirus”
Parwin Naiiby, 58 y.o., Afghanistan
“With the pandemic my journey to Germany was cancelled. Before I came to Greece, I had this tattoo done. It is a compass to always remind me the final destination of this journey. The West”
Ehsan Attayee, 19 y.o., Afghanistan
“I've broken both my legs but cannot go to the hospital in Athens, because of the coronavirus. I’m in great pain now and can hardly walk”
Mohammad Jafari, 39 y.o., Afghanistan
“I'm not afraid of the coronavirus. We, Afghan women are strong women”
Kobra Merzie, 65 y.o., Afghanistan
“When they bombarded my home, five people were killed and I was treated at the hospital of Ntara for two months. When I saw I had lost both my legs, I decided to continue my life with even greater passion and strength than before.”
Naji Albader met Baraa six months ago at Kos refugee camp. They got married there. They dream of continuing their journey to England after the end of the pandemic.
“On the first post-pandemic show, I think we will be crying with joy and longing”
Nantia Dalkyriadou, Actress
“Will I ever perform on stage again? And if so, when? And how?”
Lazaros Vartanis, Actor
“Let's stay strong, until we meet again under the spotlight”
Dimitris Hatzimichailidis, Actor
“No matter how dark it is, we always look towards the light”
Stefanos Papatrechas, Actor
Manto Psychountaki, Scenographer – Costume designer
“Art is our weapon against death and if we waste it we are dead already. Can you imagine your life without music, books, theatre, films, painting? This is what will happen!”
Manto Psychountaki, Scenographer – Costume designer
“Even after the lift of the tourism ban, the goal for all, locals and guests alike, is to remain safe”
Michalis Kontizas, Mykonos Municipality Clerk
“We are not after the money, we are old-school Mykonos. We prepare and just wait and see what happens.
Nikos Papadopoulos and Michalis Zouganelis, Mykonos beach bar owner and employee
“This year will be a hard one, but if we maintain our optimist and positivity, something good will come out. After all, this is Greece”
Romina Tossi, clothes sales assistant, Mykonos
“At first we were afraid of losing our jobs completely. Luckily, it now seems that something starts moving again”
Gjovalin Vigu, Handyworker – Mykonos
The 1st Senior High School of Cholargos, ready to welcome pupils after lockdown
Final works on the pier for the safe docking of a ship – for an unknown period – in Piraeus port
Piraeus Port
Normally, this period ships should be crowded with passengers. All this period they were only transferring patients from the islands and goods
Two passengers ready to board one of the ships to Crete at Piraeus port
“I’m scared about the economy. Everything else sounds like terrorism to me. I have been in this port for 46 years. When you see others feeling down, you start feeling low too”
Nikolas Fortesanakis, Food Truck Owner
“Much of the shipping activity has now stopped. Nobody know what will happen”
Marinos Vergakis, Seaman
“We are doing the last works on the ship, until we know when we can sail again”
Marinos Vergakis, Seaman
“We are all afraid of the future. Many employees have been fired, as we speak. Luckily, I'm all right”
Marinos Vergakis, Seaman
“I come from Syria. I travelled to Greece to visit my daughter, but now I'm stuck because of the coronavirus. I don't know when I'll be able to go back”
Zahira Maen, Visitor
“I'm only worried about my children”
Markos – Mattheos Voutsinos/ Driver
“I like to think that this whole thing is nothing but a bad dream”
Markos – Mattheos Voutsinos/ Driver
“I have two lorries and only operate one of the two at the moment. Luckily transports from and to Crete have not stopped”
Stelios Manolidakis/ Driver
“Now that lockdown movement permits are repealed, I can go to church without stressing about the time I can spend there”
Iliodoros Filios posing in a church, down town Athens, 7 May 2020
“The lockdown was hard and I hope it never happens again. I felt like I was out in the world for the first time”
Hairdressers Kelly Sfyri (L) and July Varouta (R) do the hair of Paraskevi Tsapraili (Centre L) and Mary Koulouki (Centre R), Athens, 6 May 2020
Empty chairs placed at Syntagma square, as part of the “EMPTY CHAIRS” European protest of people in the catering and tourism industry protesting about the consequences of the new coronavirus pandemic in their sector, Athens, 6 May 2020.
“It is my priority to protect the health of everyone coming to school. The mean age of my teachers is high and fear exists”
Ifigenia Schistou, Principal of the 1st Senior High School of Cholargos
“We were told that meticulous cleanliness is our biggest bet. It is very tedious, because we only two cleaners here and the school is big. But we'll manage”
Theodora Panteliou, Cleaning services at the 1st Senior High School of Cholargos
“This is not what I dreamt my last months as teacher in this school to be. It seems unthinkable that I won't be able to hug my pupils to say goodbye”
Mary Chotzoglou, Teacher at the 1st Senior High School of Cholargos
“I may be just a cog in the wheel, but I assure you this wheel needs all its cogs to start moving”
Panagiota Tzouanopoulou
Seamstress/ Hospital “Sotiria”
“The quarantine made us appreciate what's important in life”
Vasiliki Siozou
Pharmaceutical preparator/ Hospital “Sotiria”
“I make sure that patients’ sheets are clean and nicely ironed. I want patients to have a pleasant sleep”
Christos Pierrakos
Linen assistant/ Hospital “Sotiria”
“I return home with a sense of satisfaction for contributing to the hospital and helping other people”
Efthymios Koukouvaras
Linen assistant/ Hospital “Sotiria”
“Nothing has changed in the way I work. I continue work and go to my job everyday”
Fotis Kalfountzos, Mechanical equipment technician/ Hospital “Sotiria”
“The patient is our priority, always”
Linen assistants at the Hospital “Sotiria”
“This period, I am sewing masks. I think it is a way of offering to others”
Evangelia Diamantidou.
Seamstress/ Hospital “Sotiria”
“Now we know. We are ready for tomorrow”
Hospital staff – pharmacists
“I love keeping patients, nurses and doctors clean and ironed. It gives me joy”
AHMED ABDELNABI
Ironer / Hospital “Sotiria”
“Hospitals are not just about doctors; there's also us, cooks who heal hunger”
Myaris Theofanis
Cook / Hospital “Sotiria”
“We are not an impersonal catering. You can win a battle even with food”
Kollias Christos
Cook / Hospital “Sotiria”
“We try to cook dishes that remind them of home”
Gerasimou Maria
Head cook / Hospital “Sotiria”
The departure lounge at Athens International airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
The departure lounge at Athens International airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
The departure lounge at Athens International airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
People, keeping their distances, walk at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre after the lift of the lockdown measures imposed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
“At this time, the beginning of the summer season, the airport would be bursting with life. Millions of visitors from around the world would come to Athens and we were getting ready to welcome them”
Senior agent at Airport Information, Maria Iatrou, at the info desk in Athens International airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
“The airport was so empty of passengers only in the days before its inauguration, in 2001. Only, back then, the feelings were the opposite: there was joy and suspense”
Christina Kanaki, Terminal Operations Supervisor in the empty departure lounge in Athens International Airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
A cleaner walks in the departure lounge at Athens International airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
The departure lounge at Athens International airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
The travelator leading to the metro and suburban railway station, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Athens International Airport, 9 May 2020.
People enjoying their walk in the sunset on Flisvos beach, after the lift of the lockdown measures imposed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Paleo Faliro, 9 May 2020.
“I have been working in the airport for 17 years. It is a very strange feeling to find yourself everyday in an immense space, without any people”
Cleaner Mpoukouria Doma, in the departure lounge at Athens International airport, during the restrictive measures for flights, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens 9 May 2020.
“Coronavirus hit Sudan later than Greece and to this day there is a significant increase in the number of cases and deaths. Thanks to technology I can talk with my relatives there everyday and try to pass them on my knowledge and experience to help them protect themselves against the pandemic”
Abdelrasoul Mahmoud, 34 y.o., Sudanese born in Greece – doctor
“Judging from how things are in Afghanistan, I understand that the coronavirus is common for us all; it knows no continents and borders. People in my country are afraid, because the health system is in a really bad state”
Naseeruddin Nijami, 34 y.o., recognised refugee from Afghanistan
People enjoying their walk in the sunset on Flisvos beach, after the lift of the lockdown measures imposed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Paleo Faliro, 9 May 2020.
“At first, none had realised the severity of coronavirus in Iran. For a long period, no measures were taken and we had thousands of victims. I speak with my family everyday and I tell them to stay home, to wash their hands. We must apply the rules evewhere. Our planet is like a ship and we are the passengers; we will either make it together, or sink together"
Milad Motlagh, 27 y.o., Immigrant from Iran
“Coronavirus has spread really fast in Turkey. This made me very worried about my family, especially my dad, who is diabetic and has a heart condition. My parents found it difficult to stay at home, because they come from the working class and have learnt to work for their survival”
Dilara Demir, 35 y.o., Immigrant from Turkey
“We have no actual information about the real number of coronavirus deaths in Syria. The pandemic added yet another survival problem to our people, on top of war, hunger and our destroyed health system”
Kareem Al Kabbani, 30 y.o., refugee from Syria
“I talk with my family in Ivory Coast everyday. However, I am concerned about those who have to go to work and are at risk of catching the disease. We want to help everyone, in Greece too. This is why we collect essentials to offer them”
Moussa Sangare, 30 y.o., and Aicha Traore, 26 y.o., Immigrants from Ivory Coast
“I have worked in hospitals for 15 years and this is by far the hardest situation I have ever dealt with”
Stamatina Mylona, security staff at “Evangelismos” hospital
Niki Zamagia, food service worker, 49 y.o., 3rd Covid Clinic, Evangelismos Hospital
Hospital “Evangelismos” – Laundry
Anna Markou and Olga Sidiropoulou iron hospital sheets.
Stamatina Mylona, security staff at “Evangelismos” hospital
Hospital “Evangelismos” – Kitchen
Ioannis Arvanitis, Pavlos Iordanidis
Hospital “Evangelismos” – Kitchen
Ioannis Arvanitis, Nikos Mastorakis, Pavlos Iordanidis
"Our leasing company pays us as employees every four months. We stay here and do our duty for the patients and society”
Hospital “Evangelismos” – Kitchen
Ioannis Arvanitis – cook
Hospital “Evangelismos” – Laundry
Christos Kontos and Hektor Balitas prepare the scrubs of doctors and nurses for ironing, right out of the autoclave.
Covid-19 ICU – Evangelismos Hospital
Chrysa Vasilaki, Covid ICU Nurse – Evangelismos Hospital
Konstantina Koufidi, Covid ICU – Evangelismos Hospital
“We have come to appreciate how important it is to meet your friends and family and how valuable to enjoy your coffee in the sun.”
Fotini Kalpaxi, Pharmacist
Covid-19 ICU – Evangelismos Hospital
Nikoleta Ouzounidou, Covid ICU nurse – Evangelismos hospital
Covid-19 ICU – Evangelismos Hospital
“We continue to make home deliveries of medicine, especially to older people who are afraid to move or belong to vulnerable groups.”
Christina Tsempeli, Pharmacy Assistant
Georgia Chantzopoulou, Covid ICU Nurse – Evangelismos Hospital
Covid ICU – Evangelismos Hospital
Chrysa Vasilaki, Covid ICU Nurse – Evangelismos Hospital
“Our life has not changed that much, as we continue to work normally and this keeps up balanced.”
Fotini Kalpaxi, Pharmacist
“I am scared of getting sick and afraid of the future”
Mosharef Parvez, Kiosk owner
“We have burnt our hands. The psychological pressure is greater now”
Metushi Vana – Tsewova Zhika – Giannakis Alekos, Athens’ Public Transport Organisation (OASA) Cleaners
Mailinta Zoe, 45 y.o., supermarket employee for 11 years.
Married mother of two.
“My children are worried about me being here everyday”
Nikos Stathoulis, Butcher at the Central Market (Varvakios)
“The first week was very hard; there was lots of fear, hysterics and panic. We knew it right from the start that there would be shortages, so we applied purchase restrictions for disinfectants and masks.”
Christina Tsempeli, Pharmacy Assistant
Niki Zamagia, food service worker, 49 y.o., 3rd Covid Clinic, Evangelismos Hospital