Who are the refugees fleeing conflict in Syria? Giles Duley is an award winning humanitarian photographer who, through his work with UNHCR, focuses his lens on their lives and tells their stories.
He is himself casualty of war who almost died and lost both legs and an arm in an improvised explosive device explosion in Afghanistan. His lasting wounds allow him to connect with the people he captures on film and to tell the stories of those without a voice.
In this powerful and moving call to action, Giles reminds us that we are at a defining moment and calls on us to do all we can to make a difference to the lives of refugees, now.
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At TEDxExeter 2016 our speakers encapsulated the idea of movement, that grappling with humanity’s toughest questions requires first a vision, a dream, and then action.
Giles Duley is an award-winning photographer of conflicts across the world.
After working as a successful fashion and music photographer for ten years, he decided to abandon photography and began work as a full-time carer. It was in this role that he rediscovered his craft and its power to tell the stories of those without a voice. In 2000, he returned to photography to document the work of NGOs and the stories of those affected by conflict.
In 2011, Duley lost both legs and his left arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan. He was told he would never walk again and that his career was over. However, he returned to work less than 18 months later. He has since documented stories in Lebanon and Jordan, and his return to Afghanistan in October 2012 to complete his original assignment was the feature of the award-winning documentary “Walking Wounded: Return to the Frontline”.
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