Costa Rica - The IOM Regional Office in San José, in partnership with the Dutch Embassy, are hosting a photo exhibit featuring the work of world renowned photographer Kadir van Lohuizen.

The exhibit, entitled Via Pan Am, will run at San José’s La Antigua Aduana Expo Center through 13th April. It visualizes migration in the Americas, traveling the Pan-American Highway from southern Chile to Northern Alaska.

Kadir van Lohuizen, born in the Netherlands and recipient of two World Press Photo awards, made the 25,000-kilometer journey in 40 weeks, visiting 15 countries along the way.

The exhibit is part of a 2014 International Arts Festival, which brings together 96 artists from around the world.

“Mr. van Lohuizen’s photographs show the abuse and suffering that migrants endure.  His work prompts us to reflect on the topic of xenophobia and about our personal attitudes towards migrants.  We should never stop questioning ourselves about this issue,” said Robert Paiva, IOM Regional Director for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

To coincide with the exhibition, IOM Costa Rica hosted a roundtable on Wednesday, 2^nd April entitled In Search of Happiness to discuss migration, xenophobia and human rights.

While working on various subjects around the globe, Van Lohuizen found that migration often played a role in many issues and in many different forms, be it climate change, war and conflict or economic issues.

“The purpose of this exhibit is to show the public the reasons that prompt people to migrate and the sacrifices that they make.  Migrants are searching for better opportunities for their families, but in the process, they experience serious disruptions in family and emotional ties because they must leave their loved ones behind,” says van Lohuizen.

For more information about Via Pan Am, please visit the artist’s website at: http://www.viapanam.org/viapanam/about

For more information, please contact

Agueda Marín
IOM Costa Rica
Email: amarin@iom.int
Tel. +506.2212.5302.