The long road to hope

Without laces: this is how shoes are worn on snowy paths. The cold, ice and thick gloves would only make laces an additional danger. Every year, in every season, thousands of people from sub-Saharan Africa, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, walk the paths of the Val di Susa, in the province of Turin, on the border with France. Initially the routes were in the long and impervious valleys above Bardonecchia, but they have now settled almost exclusively around the Montgenèvre pass. The snow, the darkness and the cold are probably just some of the many obstacles encountered in the journey of months, or often years, in search of a new possibility: isn't the immensity of the mountains like the vastness of the deserts, the indeterminacy of the seas or the terrifyingness of the forests?

The same passes that for centuries were arteries of Alpine communities and the scene of exchanges, trades and commerce are now borders, barriers, frontiers patrolled day and night. Permeable filters based on skin color: imperceptible for some, unsurpassable for others. During the summer the risks do not disappear. The melting of the snow uncovers new routes, which are impassable in winter, but which can lead families, children and teenagers to rough terrain, unaware of the dangers of the mountains and unprepared to face them. In an almost comical game between "cops and robbers", the French Gendarmerie every day rejects dozens of women, men and children, who systematically, after two or three attempts, manage to cross the border and continue their journey towards northern Europe. Ignoring laws, international treaties, and simple humanity, those detained at the French border are accompanied by the Italian police towards the reception facilities at the bottom of the valley which offer comfort to those who attempt the crossing again the following day.

A dense network of Italian and French people and associations helps those passing through Val di Susa to face this obstacle with suitable clothing, waterproof boots, a hot meal and a roof under which to rest. Once this border has also been crossed, one takes off one's clothes which, once brought back to Oulx, will be prepared to accompany new customers. For children and families, a hot meal and some games are moments in an everyday life that has perhaps always been private to them. The silent daily service of dozens of people has allowed Val di Susa not to be the scene of the invisible massacre that is our seas, the Balkan woods, or the deserts of Africa. For travelers, a plastic bag with some clean clothes is all you can bring along. In the looks - however - behind the fatigue of another day of walking, we find the true baggage that allows us to overcome every frontier, that unites us and makes us human: hope.


photos and texts by Andrea Pellegrini
NP May 2024