This poignant quote, often attributed to German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller (1892-1984), resonates deeply today as we navigate a critical historical juncture in Europe. By “we,” I mean those of us who live here, side by side, whether by choice, necessity, or the privileges we Describing our current reality as “historical” isn’t an exaggeration, nor is it a claim toIt’s simply the truth: we are living through a period that the values of coexistence in all their philosophical varieties. It places enormous pressure on vulnerable communities, as political forces across Europe seek to dismantle what remains of the rule of law with the use of identity politics and hollow slogans, turning citizens against migrants under a myriad of pretexts.

This reality may not be a top priority for large portions of European citizens, many of whom are grappling with the effects of. We acknowledge these challenges. But scapegoating minorities—especially migrants—has become the magical formula for opportunistic politicians, armed with lies and misinformation, targeting marginalized groups who cannot defend themselves or correct them.

This is where the narrative around migration, with all its legal, human, and emotional complexities, becomes a battleground. But it is far from a fair fight. On one side, we have mainstream media with billion-dollar budgets, relentlessly pushing stories about the”migration and refugee crises” and demonizing those seeking safety. On the other side, the voices of those who actually live these stories are drowned out, ignored, or twisted into The refugee or migrant is either a numbered victim or a strange intruder—never a person. Nobody cares because, in the public’s eyes, they are guilty of stepping onto foreign soil, fleeing bombs, civil wars, or unbearable circumstances. That’s what we call “the theft of the narrative.”

Fueled by the rise of far-right extremism, hate speech has found new life through the ease of spreading fake news about migrants and minorities. Specific interest groups are profiting from this, taking advantage of the chaos on social media and other platforms. In this storm of falsehoods, the refugee or migrant becomes, once again, the weakest part, caught in a whirlwind of misleading information that politicians exploit day in and day out.

For all these reasons, we have decided not to stay silent. We refuse to surrender to the “theft of the narrative,” the stereotyping, or being used as mere symbols to decorate humanitarian conferences or headline funding campaigns.

Every beginning in this struggle is worthy of respect, and giving a voice to every individual, with their unique dreams and personal dignity, is the best form of resistance to hate speech. It is also the most powerful counter-narrative to the mainstream discourse that reduces these “numbers” to mere crises and problems.

This is where Path14 was born—an initiative that believes in the power of words, images, voices, ideas, and emotions, all stemming from the very communities being demonized.

 Path14 is our personal journey, marked by the label of “refugee” or “migrant,” with all the weight that carries, known only to those who bear it. Despite the differences in our stories, we will elevate each one. We are not statistics published in news bulletins.

Path14 tells the story through the eyes of those who lived it, in all its complexity, without discrimination or selective eyes.