Greek photojournalist Aris Messinis of AFP was awarded the Visa d’Or News prize during the international festival of photojournalism in Perpignan in Southern France for his work on the massive arrival of refugees on the Greek island of Lesvos in 2015. ‘I recorded the struggle for a better life’, Messinis said after receiving the prize. The Visa d’Or for news is considered the most prestigious award handed out at the Visa Pour L’Image festival.
At one point, 7,000 migrants a day were arriving on Lesbos – and many who tried to make the journey died at sea. “We try to keep our distance, to be objective,” he said.
“But sometimes it is good to lend a hand to somebody who needs a hand. It is a personal decision.”