An Afghani girl who went viral after being featured on a 1984 issue of the National Geographic was recently evacuated to Italy, as mentioned in reports. The office of the Prime Minister announced that Sharbat Gulla, the woman who was the muse behind the iconic photo taken by Steve McCurry, was brought to Italy after several non-profit organizations, as well as those in civil society, asked her to be evacuated from the country.
This was mentioned in a statement from the office of Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Gulla had previously requested help to leave her war-torn country, as it currently contends with Taliban rule after the former government collapsed.
Afghani Girl Famous For 1984 Cover Evacuated To Italy
The office of the Prime Minister mentioned that the evacuation of the once-famous Afghani girl was part of a massive evacuation program that was set in place for Afghani citizens along with the plans of the government for their integration and reception in Italy, as reported by Associated Press. Gulla was 12 years old and resided in a refugee camp when McCurry took a picture of her.
Her picture, especially her piercing green eyes, made that particular cover of National Geographic one of the most renowned ones of all time. Several media reports highlighted that Gulla’s whereabouts weren’t usually known, for the only news of her came in the 2010s when the Pakistani government alleged that she had been trying to gain false identification within the country.
The evacuation of the Afghani girl, who goes on to join other Afghanis who have already fled the country in the last couple of months, would indicate the lasting and chaotic impact of a country that seems to be undergoing a major catastrophe of sorts.
Back in 2002, Steve McCurry, the photographer who took the original photo of the Afghani girl, stated that he had seen her again.
