'Man At Sea': Thousands die in sea of indifference

Who doesn't dream of some nice relaxed beach time? The thorny issue of migrants goes down for the third time in this hard-hitting campaign juxtaposing the sunny reality of holidaymakers with that of the obscene unseen. Behind it is EMERGENCY NGO, an Italian non-governmental organisation (NGO) which provides free medical treatment to the victims of war, poverty, and landmines. It was founded in 1994 by war surgeon, human rights activist and peace activist Gino Strada. “Rights should belong to everyone," said Strada, who died in 2021. "Otherwise, they should be called privileges.”Regarding this campaign, the NGO says: "This quote, that inspires every project we embark on, makes even more sense on the side of Life Support, our Ship, whose purpose is to save whoever is risking their life in the Mediterranean Sea to get to Europe. It is necessary to have safe legal access and a rescue mission, coordinated on a European level; but, in the meantime, we can’t just stand by and watch.” Mediterranean countries such as Italy have long been familiar with the tragic consequences of migration: the name of Lampedusa is scorched into many minds since at least 368 migrants - including 60 children - died off the island after the crowded boat carrying them across the Mediterranean from Lubya capsized. Last summer, a further 41 migrants diedin the same area. As Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni talks tough on illegal immigration -including crackdowns on sea rescue charities - she is also facilitating pathways to enable arriving migrants to take up legal employment.This helps plug gaps in the labour market in a country with a diminishing work-age population. Europe as a whole struggles to assimilate the complexities of illegal immigration, which is often caused by and/or exacerbated by wars in the countries of those fleeing. The response to the conflict in Ukraine showed the other face of immigration policies, demonstrating that outcomes can be hugely improved when the political will to do so is present. What do you think of this campaign? Do you agree with Strada's premise that the best thing we can do to ensure a good future for our children is to eliminate war?

Keywords: EMERGENCY NGO 'Man At Sea', Mediterranean illegal immigrants, migrants deaths, Italy migrants, conflict consequences, Ogilvy Milan,