Òscar Camps

{{short description|Spanish lifeguard, entrepreneur and activist; founder and director of the NGO Proactiva Open Arms}}{{Family name hatnote|Camps|Gausachs|lang=Catalan}}{{Infobox person

| name = Òscar Camps Gausachs

| image = Oscarcampsoctubre2017.jpg

| alt = Òscar Camps in 1917.

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|11|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Barcelona

| death_date =

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| nationality =

| occupation = lifeguard

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Òscar Camps Gausachs (Barcelona, 28 November 1963), is a Catalan lifeguard, entrepreneur and activist, known mainly for being the founder and director of the NGO Proactiva Open Arms. He was awarded the Catalan Prize of the Year in 2015.[http://www.elperiodico.cat/ca/?_ga=1.95822740.92638444.1460061232 Òscar Camps, nou Català de l'Any] El Periódico, 7 April 2016

Born in Barcelona, Camps was the owner of a lifeguard company based in Badalona, Pro-Activa Serveis Aquatics, which was dedicated to maritime services, specifically water security and lifeguarding. In the context of the European migrant crisis, during the Syrian civil war, when thousands were losing their lives trying to reach Europe, Camps decided to move to Lesbos, a Greek island near Turkey, to evaluate the situation on the ground. The key event that prompted him to move was the posting of images of the body of Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old boy who had died while trying to cross the border with his family.[https://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/internacional/oscar-camps-socorrismo-sin-fronteras-5036387 Òscar Camps: socorrismo sin fronteras], El Periódico, 8 April 2016 He and a few colleagues decided to apply their lifesaving expertise to help rescue refugees trying to reach the European Union via the Aegean Sea.{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2015/10/01/videos/1443723436_797619.html|title=Vídeo: Un grupo de socorristas españoles rescata a tres refugiados junto a Lesbos|date=2015-10-01|work=El País|access-date=2020-04-07|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/sociedad/noticia-equipo-socorristas-espanoles-salvan-vidas-refugiados-diario-costas-isla-lesbos-20151002191524.html|title=Un equipo de socorristas españoles salvan vidas de refugiados a diario en las costas de la isla de Lesbos|date=2015-10-02|publisher=Europa Press|access-date=2020-04-07}}

In September 2015 a group of volunteers decided to found the NGO Proactiva Open Arms, funded with 15,000 euros,{{Cite web|url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/sociedad/20160306/catala-de-any-oscar-camps-proactiva-open-arms-salva-vidas-refugiados-egeo-4954352|title=El socorrista de Badalona que salva vidas en el Egeo|last=BARCELONA|first=BEATRIZ PÉREZ /|date=2016-03-06|website=elperiodico|language=es|access-date=2020-04-07}} and went to the island by work on rescue tasks. At first, the only material they had were various wetsuits, fins and breathing tubes. The group's main activities were to guide and help reach the beaches to refugees, mainly Syrians, who came from Turkey in very precarious boats.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressdigital.es/texto-diario/mostrar/318904/labor-humanitaria-pro-activa-mejor-ejemplo-solidaridad-ante-crisis-migratoria|title=La labor humanitaria de Pro-Activa, el mejor ejemplo de solidaridad ante la crisis migratoria|last=PRESSDIGITAL|website=Pressdigital|language=es|access-date=2020-04-07}} Over time, however, the available equipment improved, mainly through donations from individuals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20151029/54438477313/socorristas-catalanes-rescatan-a-242-personas-naufragadas-en-lesbos-grecia.html|title=Socorristas catalanes rescatan a 242 personas naufragadas en Lesbos|date=2015-10-29|website=La Vanguardia|language=es|access-date=2020-04-07}}

Spanish and European media echoed the activity of Camps and the NGO in Lesbos, mainly due to their visibility in photos uploaded to the internet. For example TV3 broadcast of the To Kyma documentary where the group's activity was monitored in various actions on the Greek island.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/tele/20160125/angeles-lesbos-4844146|title=Los ángeles de Lesbos|last=BARCELONA|first=MANUEL DE LUNA /|date=2016-01-25|website=elperiodico|language=es|access-date=2020-04-07}} On March 2, 2016, Camps and Proactiva were able to visit the European Parliament, where they spoke on behalf of refugees.