Project info

Three prisoners asked a prison chaplain to help them process the story of their lives, including their crimes. Spontaneous reflection and sharing is difficult when one is locked up.

Inspired by the book ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’, they took off on a journey.

Like Harold, the prisoners revisit their past: their fathers and mothers, their feelings of powerlessness, shame, confusion and guilt. They come face to face with the important questions of life, and begin a dialogue with each other.

In this way, they made an imaginary pilgrimage.

This project originated with three inmates.
It was further realized by:

Siska Deknudt, prison chaplain and initiator of the pastoral service
Yelena Schmitz, writer and audio-visual artist (converted the sessions to text and podcasts)
Nicolas Marquez, illustrator (added images to the words)
Boris Vermeersch, audio-visual artist (added movement to the images)

On the occasion of the National Days of the Prison, the creations from the project were simultaneously presented inside and outside prison walls. After the launch, they were put in sustainable use to further achieve the following objectives.

With this project we aim to:

• Support other detainees during their time in detention and encourage them to also go

on a reflection tour.

• Introducing people inside and outside the walls in a different way with inmates.

• Give the plea for a more humane detention policy (and a safer society) a boost and

encourage people who are professionally committed.

More information on this project?

Global information Siska Deknudt: imaginaire.pelgrimstocht@gmail.com
texts: www.yelenaschmitz.be
illustrations: @nicolas.marquez.y.sanchez / marquezysancheznicolas@gmail.com
animations: www.borisvermeersch.com