Radu Diaconu

Photographer

Lucie Foundation Scholarship Winner

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Nicosia, Cyprus. August 2020. “...d be resettled somewhere else.

Nicosia, Cyprus. August 2020. “N”, a migrant from Congo, poses for a portrait in front of one of the UN-Buffer zone walls separating the Republic of Cyprus and the TRNC. The city of Nicosia is the last divided city in Europe, split roughly in the middle by the UN patrolled Buffer Zone. N left Congo in search of better opportunities and the possibility to study in Europe. After arriving in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a "de-facto" state solely recognized by Turkey, he realized he had been duped by unscrupulous agents in Africa and had no more money to pay for his fees and continue his education. He used whatever money had left to pay coyotes to take him across the border to Cyprus. He spent 4 months in the Pournara Emergency Reception Centre in squalid conditions. He is now waiting for his UNCHR interview in the hopes of being able to work freely and be resettled somewhere else.

Deneia, Cyprus. August 2020. A ...h a village or police station.

Deneia, Cyprus. August 2020. A view of the UN buffer zone separating the Republic of Cyprus and the TRNC. This is where most of the migrants cross into the Republic of Cyprus, often at night in a car and then left to walk for miles and miles until they reach a village or police station.

Kokkinotrimithia, Cyprus. April...e to earn by doing small jobs.

Kokkinotrimithia, Cyprus. April 2022. Migrants waiting for the camp to hand out food before sunset. Migrants often complain that the food is not suited to their diet as they don’t eat this kind of food and a lot of them end up trying to cook their own food in the camp with whatever money they have left or are able to earn by doing small jobs.

Nicosia, Cyprus, May 10th, 2022...g conditions are not adequate.

Nicosia, Cyprus, May 10th, 2022. Paul, a migrant from Nigeria, poses for a portrait inside the limited space offered by his bedroom, which is the size of closet. He lives inside this tiny room while doing odd jobs until his asylum interview with UNHCR. Migrants often live in very difficult conditions inside cramped and old apartments that are inadequate. Landlords use the fact that the government pays 100 Euros as rent supplement to rent any place that they have available, even if the living conditions are not adequate.

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Lucie Foundation Scholarship Winner

radu diaconu

Nov 8, 2022

Location: Nicosia, Cyprus

Summary

Proud to announce that I am the winner of the Lucie Scholarship Program 2022 - Photo Taken!

It's a great honor to have been selected among such strong works out there...eternally grateful to the @luciefoundation for supporting my work and ensuring that the last leg of this 2-year story can be completed!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me all along, the migrants themselves, UNHCR @refugees, @theviiacademy, @stefano_de_luigi, and especially my dear @athena_tacet, without whom this would not have been possible.

Stay tuned for some more pictures in the coming months!

Lucie Scholarship Program
Visit the post for more.
Luciefoundation.org

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