Interview: Solidarity, humanity prevail in refugees crisis in Greece: photo reporter

Among the photographs of the hardships experienced by incoming refugees to Greece this year, one photo shot by a young local photo journalist on Lesvos island became a strong symbol of the prevailing solidarity and humanity.

The Greek government used Lefteris Partsalis' image in its campaign to win over more support from EU partners for the management of the crisis.

"I will never forget the eyes of children and women full of tears looking at me with fear and despair," Partsalis told Xinhua about his experience in the village of Skala Sikaminias on Lesvos where dozens of boats stream in daily from Turkey with people trying to find their way out of war zones.

In his iconic photo, the 28-year-old photo journalist captured three Greek grannies sitting on a bench, while one of them held a refugee baby being fed with a bottle.

For the young photographer, the old woman seemed as if she was holding her own grandchild. "It was a tender moment in the sorrow and the pain. These old women depicted the solidarity that the majority of Greek people have shown," he said.

"If I ever need to explain to my own child in the future what solidarity means I will show this picture and tell the story as I lived it," he stressed.

The photo went viral and was used as a background during a ceremony at Athens' airport two weeks ago when Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and European Parliament President Martin Schulz attended the first official relocation of refugees in another EU member country.

"A picture is worth a thousand words. Undoubtedly, the photo acts as a messenger," Partsalis noted.

Indeed, many volunteers arrived at the Greek islands to lend a helping hand after seeing a shocking photo or video with refugees in need.

Partsalis arrived at Skala Sikaminias in mid-October. He was shocked by the sight of the shoreline in the usually quiet coastal village. The coast was littered with a mountain of lifejackets, ruined engines, boats and children's clothes.

He remembered standing with his feet in the sea, one hand on his camera trying to shoot photos, the other trying to help. He was marked by moments of despair and sorrow.

For Partsalis, the refugee influx will inevitably change the map of Europe. The question is how to deal with the deaths and the thousands of refugees in dead end situations.

"When you see a child crying, your heart breaks. What can you say to that child who prepared his backpack to leave his country instead of to go to school?" he asked.

Under such difficult circumstances, Partsalis said one thing was paramount: humanity. "If these people -- the volunteers, locals and foreigners -- were not there, many souls would be lost," he said.

The value of the volunteer effort is gigantic. "In these places, there are no nationalities and flags. You can see a Palestinian volunteer working hand-in-hand with a member of Israeli team. Independent groups from Athens, Denmark, Spain, Canada and the United States came to help," he explained.

Partsalis said that without the volunteers, he could not imagine what the situation would be like. Endit