Vienna's Secession Museum displays solidarity banner for Moria refugees after camp fire

The Association of Visual Artists Vienna Secession has installed a large banner at its museum entrance expressing solidarity with refugees from the Moria camp. This action follows a devastating fire on September 9 that destroyed the overcrowded facility on Lesbos, Greece, originally built for 3,000 but housing approximately 20,000 people. Many residents came from Afghanistan and Syria. After the blaze, 12,000 individuals were left without shelter, sanitation, or access to basic necessities near the site. Recently, around 9,000 have been relocated to a new location. In their statement, the Secession's board emphasized using the gallery's visibility to highlight the ongoing refugee crisis. They called on Austrian and EU governments to fulfill international responsibilities by providing aid and developing sustainable solutions for humane treatment. The statement also referenced the global pandemic as increasing the urgency for assistance. The organization stressed universal principles of human dignity and cooperation.