Photos: Red Cross helping refugees in Europe

Fresh water and shoes for refugees in Catania, Italy
Soon after hundreds of people started arriving last spring at the Sicilian port, Catania Red Cross set up a clinic to offer medical treatment, psychosocial support and counseling along with fresh water and shoes for refugees. Photo courtesy: IFRC
Elaiones volunteers with kids
Twice every day Hellenic Red Cross volunteers arrange activities for the children in Elaionas. The kids enjoy playing with the volunteers for two to three hours at a time. Photo: Thomas Andre Syvertsen/ Norwegian Red Cross.
Food delivery in Elaiones, Greece
The line outside the delivery point for the meals the Red Cross gives out in Elaiones. Three times every day, the volunteers from the Hellenic Red Cross prepare and deliver food to the refugees at Elaiones.
Baby Paolo is just 14 days old by the time he reaches Messina
Baby Paolo is 14 days old by the time he reaches Messina, Sicily in July 2015. Spending half his life at sea, he traveled with his mother in a boat from Libya. Photo courtesy: Carlos Spottorno / British Red Cross.
In the FYR of Macedonia, Red Cross food parcels are distributed to refugees
In the FYR of Macedonia, Red Cross food parcels are distributed to refugees at the border of Macedonia and Greece. Between August 22-24, the Red Cross distributed 2,800 food parcels. Photo: Corinne Ambler / IFRC
Registration process in Kos
Many people wait to register in Kos. So far in 2015, 160,000 refugees have arrived in Greece. Kos, just kilometres from the Turkish coast, has received thousands of migrants already this year. Photo: Stephen Ryan / IFRC
Red Cross of Serbia food distribution in Kanjiza reception centre
Red Cross of Serbia food distribution in Kanjiza reception centre, close to the border with Hungary. Migrants are staying here for few hours before trying to cross the border. Photo courtesy: Tommaso Della Longa / IFRC
Two brothers, their wives, and all their children are travelling together from Syria
Two brothers, their wives, and all their children are travelling together from Syria and Iraq. The Red Cross of Serbia have been providing assistance since the onset of this emergency. Photo: Stephen Ryan / IFRC


Thousands of people are arriving in Europe every week to escape conflict and violence in their home countries. The majority of displaced people are from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom are children and women.

The Red Cross has been providing assistance in response to the refugeee crisis in several countries in Europe including Greece, Italy, Serbia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Hungary.

We wanted to share these compelling photos that illustrate the humanitarian crisis.

You can read more about the Samir family and their journey from Syria to Europe. 

Find out more about the international Red Cross response to the refugee and migrant crisis by following the hashtag #ProtectHumanity on Twitter.

Canadians can donate to support the humanitarian response to the migrant and refugee crisis. 

See your impact in action.

Sign up to receive impact updates from the Canadian Red Cross, inspirational stories from the field and be the first to hear about emergency relief efforts.

The Canadian Red Cross takes your privacy seriously. We do not distribute or sell your email address to anyone. View our privacy policy.

Blog Archives