Taking part in a human and sporting adventure, we journeyed over eleven thousand kilometers of roads and abandoned paths, hidden from Western eyes. Our mission was to contribute to a joint effort led by the organization Europ'raid, supported by numerous associations, to promote and facilitate (re)education initiatives across Europe.
Twenty countries in twenty-two days, covering more than four hundred kilometers daily without any assistance, presented both a sports and mechanical challenge. We had to reach each stage of the itinerary and navigate through this vast terrain of five million square kilometers, avoiding highways and expressways, instead opting for the hidden byways that offer unique views and encounters that make them so special. Brief friendships and sincere smiles blossomed in the corners of Europe as our procession of almost thirty-year-old Peugeot 205s, decorated for the occasion, passed by.
Vlöre, Albania, welcomed us as we carried school, medical, and sports supplies to a children refuge perched on the heights of the city and inhabited by small turtles. The school's relentless mission is to support the – too many – children who are either out of school or in dire living conditions. Their activism is formidable, necessary, yet somehow overlooked by Western countries, despite their proximity.
archiraid consists of a team of three young architects, for whom a photographic project served as a pretext for embarking on this immense human adventure. Moreover, it became a means to showcase these forgotten, unknown, or neglected corners of our continent.
Throughout the journey, we kept a daily logbook, and here is an excerpt from it.