The joint goal of laif and the Bertelsmann Stiftung was to make the situation of refugees understandable and thus contribute to reducing prejudices.
The central concern of the photo book »Challenging Chances – Flucht im Bild« is access to the people. It achieves this through powerful images that show authentic stories of flight and thus give the viewers an idea of the hardship, the despair, but also the hopes of the individual. Much more vivid than data, facts and figures, the pictures give an impression of the manifold fates, but also already show possibilities for integration and future coexistence in Germany. Peter Altmaier, Member of the German Bundestag, Head of the Federal Chancellery, Federal Minister for Special Tasks and Refugee Coordinator of the then Federal Government, says: »In an impressive way, the pictures in the volume show people at the stages of their flight – and how they begin to live their everyday lives with us. How they try to find their way, learn our language and make their first contacts, on the street, with family, friends and at work.«
To accompany the book, the Bertelsmann Stiftung and laif conceived an exhibition that was shown for the first time in September 2016 at laif photogalerie in Cologne. The exhibition was further presented in Berlin, there at the Federal Press Office, and subsequently in Brussels.
The work prior to the exhibition opening and the vernissage itself were documented by laif photographer and videographer David Klammer.