Chicago's Italian Cultural Institute sheds light on child refugees with new photo exhibit

CHICAGO - A photo exhibit in Chicago raises awareness about education for children in the poorest communities in the world: migrants, refugees and residents of slums.

It's at the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, 540 N. Michigan, Suite 1450. The public is invited to see the exhibition, titled "Through Our Eyes."

Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, Luca Di Vito, says the organization Still I Rise, a not for profit agency, is working in different countries to help provide education to children who are refugees. 

"The exhibit has a three countries represented, Samos, Greece, Syria and Kenya Nairobi. The pictures are taken by children who lived there, after going through education on photo basic photography. They were given disposable cameras, so they could document their life, their conditions and where they live.," Di Vito said.

In one photograph a little boy is pictured in Nairobi, Kenya. The caption reads, "We are soccer buddies. When I grow up, I will go to England to play with Liverpool. And I want to go come back here to help the people who live on the streets."

"So there's this idea also hope that is conveyed through the colors and the movement. That picture is so beautiful and there is still hope in a slum in Nairobi... The artistic value of the picture is happy but at the same time, the caption says 'I'd like to change the place we live to a safer one. So we can leave behind all these fights and other people who steal.'  It's very heartbreaking but very meaningful. And also it's very important to document the vitality, the solidarity expressed by Italian civil society, in this case by the NGO, Still I Rise, who provides emergency education," Di Vito said.

The exhibit is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30p.m. until Oct. 8. The Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago also offers adult Italian language classes.