An international photo exhibit is currently on display at Boston City Hall that chronicles the daily journeys of children around the world as they travel to school, and includes photos of children from one of the city’s schools.
If American students don’t ride the yellow bus to school, they may walk, ride their bikes or drive themselves. But many children around the world must cross through rivers or deserts, and travel on donkeys or aboard boats, to receive an education. The exhibit “Journeys to School” shows just that, as well as where children live, including refugee camps, on the streets and in more “normal” homes.
As different as their individual journeys, the students show remarkable resilience in overcoming a variety of obstacles in getting to school. Despite the hardship visible in many of the photos, the exhibit is uplifting and heart-warming. A slideshow of images from the exhibit can be viewed here.
Boston is the exhibit’s first stop on a tour of American cities, but the exhibit made its world premiere in March at the United Nations Visitors’ Center in New York. It will stay at Boston City Hall until mid-September, and is free of charge to view. The exhibit also opened in May in Paris.
The exhibit includes photos of children who attend the Carter School, which is part of Boston Public Schools. It is one of a few public schools in New England that provides highly specialized and customized educational and therapeutic programs to students with significant cognitive, physical and complex medical challenges. The 25 students who attend can’t get to school without considerable assistance, from the time they wake up and all throughout the day. Most are reliant on wheelchairs, and need help with dressing, feeding and personal care.
The photo exhibit was developed and made possible by a partnership among Veolia Transdev, UNESCO, the United Nations agency devoted to education, and Sipa Press, a French photo journalism agency. The exhibit was brought to Boston in collaboration with the Office of Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the Boston Public Schools and Veolia Transportation North America, which has been contracted to run the city’s school bus system starting this month. Veolia also is a partner in Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, which operates the Boston Commuter Rail system under contract to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
“’Journeys to School’ exemplifies our commitment to providing mobility services that serve the public interest and connect communities,” said Veolia Transportation CEO Mark Joseph. “We provide public transport solutions that help millions of people get to school, work, medical appointments and more.”
