Italy, First Published Jan 24, 2022, 12:03 PM IST
The image of Munzir El Nezzel’s father carrying his limbless son to the van with his arms has gained world attention. This picture was taken by Turkish photographer Mehmet Aslan and won the Siena Award in January 2021. With this, big changes have come in their lives now. They fled Syria to Turkey and will now start a new life in Italy.
The film, titled ‘The Sufferings of Life’, is a first-hand look at the Syrian civil war. Munsir lost his leg in a bomb attack there. Six-year-old son Mustafa has no birthmarks. Mustafa’s mother suffered serious health problems due to a gas leak during the civil unrest. The birth of a son without limbs was a side effect of the medication they were taking while they were pregnant. In addition to Mustafa, they have two daughters, ages one and four. The emotional and shocking picture of that father and son made headlines in Italy and garnered international attention on social media. Following this, the organizers of the Siena International Photo Awards began raising money for visas and necessary treatment to take them to Italy. They raised 100,000 euros for this. After their remarkable efforts, the father and son have now arrived safely in Italy.
Like all countries, Italy issues visas for humanitarian reasons. However, it needs to be sponsored by a local organization to handle refugee records and provide financial assistance. That’s how the non-profit organization that organizes the Photography Festival decided to sponsor the Syrian family.
Mustafa and Munsir arrived at the Fiumicino airport in Rome last Friday with their mother and two daughters. The family wants to settle in Siena. Mustafa thanked him in a video message recorded before flying from Ankara to Italy. “We are coming, thank you. We love Italy, “he said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.”
However, Mustafa will need long-term treatment to be able to walk or live independently. His parents now routinely take him everywhere. Everyone looks at his things together. Prosthetists in Italy will see Mustafa and his father in the coming weeks to design new prosthetic limbs. Doctors say the father will be able to regain most of his mobility in a few weeks. However, the son may need further treatment. Munsir said his greatest consolation is that his children can now go to school. At the same time, he added that he was looking forward to a day when his son would be able to stand on his own two feet and embrace himself.
Last Updated Jan 24, 2022, 12:03 PM IST