Thursday, June 29, 2017

Landmines in Bosnia

Landmines in Bosnia as seen during the Mars Mira/ Peace walk which will take place prior to the July commemoration of the Genocide in Srebrenica. 
Muhamed Smailhodzic (R) is a forester. He frequently comes accroissement land mines that are still found out in the nature. He has even more then once stepped on them, luckily so far, they have not detonated. 
According to this article in Balkan Insight, there are more then 80000 land mins left in the country and the target of being mine free by 2019 will not happen. Progress is happening though but there is still need to be cautious.
#keystone #webster #photojournalism #bosnia #genocide#storytelling #onassignment #srebrenica #ReportageSpotlight #marsmira#nedzadavdic #nikonswitzerland #landmines #balkaninsight  

Thursday, June 22, 2017

World Refugee Week

June 20th is the World Refugee Day. In Geneva, the International Refugee Cultural Festival is still going on. There are over 65 million people displaced due to war, climate change and other causes. last year, I went to visit some of them in northern Iraq. I hope to revisit again soon and to hear the continuation of the stories of the people I met last year.
Children at the Assyrian refugee Camp in Ainkawa, Erbil, Iraq. Check Global Geneva.
Mmtaiz  "Mattis" and his family, originally from Karakosh, outside their place at the refugee Camp in Ainkawa, Erbil, Iraq. The youngest child is born at the camp.
The refugee Camp in Ainkawa, Erbil, Iraq is 1 year and 4 month old and houses approximately 5000 people.
Assyrian children outside the Assyrian chruch near Duhok, northern Iraq.
R) Wahida Abdel Nur, C) Feryal Akubi L) Jamila Abd El-Ahad, are all from Mozul- currently staying at the Camp Shiyuz, near Duhok, northern Iraq. Feryal Akubi  explains that she has some family now in Germany but that she has not heard from her husband after he was captured by ISIS.
These Yazidi chilédren are currently living at the Camp Khanki. The are preparing for a football competition between children from other camps in the Duhok area in northern Iraq. The camp is large with 3120 tents. 2908 families and 16611 people.
Hajji Mirza is from Tel Azar. Now, he and his family live under a tent in Khanke
camp, near Dohuk in northern Iraq/ Kurdistan. He is one amongst 2’908 families,
or 16’611 people. These two children are his customers.
Yazidi survivors who are living at a random camp set up near the official "Camp Khanki", not to far from Dahuk, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
Yazidi children currently livig at one of the random road side camps on top of the Sinjar Mountain, near Syria, northern Iraq/ Kurdistan.
Yazidi children currently livig at one of the random road side camps on top of the Sinjar Mountrain.
Yazidi children currently livig at one of the random road side camps on top of the Sinjar Mountrain.
Yazidi survivors who are living at a random camp set up near the official "Camp Khanki", not to far from Dahuk, Kurdistan region, Iraq. Read more here.
#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #ReportageSpotlight #nikonswitzerland #unhcr #yazidi #refugee #globalgeneva #geneva

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

World Refugee Day

Today, June the 20th is the World Refugee Day. As UN Secretary-General, António Guterres  says: "I’ve met so many who have lost so much. But they never lose their dreams for their children or their desire to better our world. They ask for little in return – only our support in their time of greatest need"  If you are in Geneva, join the  Refugee Cultural Festival- still some days to go and great experiences to be part in. 
Anila Hussain ran Bollywood dance workshop which was part of the Refugee Cultural Festival.
#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone
#yazidi #refugee #sinjar #worldrefugeeday

Friday, June 16, 2017

Bhutan Archive with Keystone

I am happy to share that my pictures from Bhutan are now available through Keystone in Switzerland. An amazing place, hopefully a Workshop will be organised again in the not to distant future!
In Thimphu, Bhutan, Choki Traditional Art School educates young men and women on the traditional Buddhist arts. Everything from wood crafts to painting and embroidery is all taught here. The students will later work on preserving the history as well as the traditions of the art that evolvs around the monasteries as well as the different festivals that takes place in Bhutan. An example is the "Tigers Nest". A few years ago, it got severely damaged and the students from  Choki Traditional Art School is heavily involved in recreating the works of art at he monastery.
Traditional wood craft at a workshop near Paro, Bhutan.
Tango Monastery, Bhutan
Traditional wood craft is important in order to preserve the historic sites in Bhutan.
Tango Monastery, a Buddhist University, Bhutan.
A young Monk plays badminton at the Dechen Phodrang Monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan.
Young Monks at the Dechen Phodrang Monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan.
Young Monks at the Dechen Phodrang Monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan.
"Highway 1" is being worked on constantly. The distance between Paro and Thimphu is about 50km but can take more the 4 hours to drive.  It gets difficult when you meet larger vehicles on what is essentially a one lane dirt road. The road is better closer to the cities.
Children playing near the Chimi Lhakhang Monastery. The children are also revealing bad teeth.
In Bhutan, Archery is the national sport. One can see the sport being competed in a number of different venues. I will come back to that later, but Khuru is also popular! Khuru is a "dart like" sport where the guys competing tries to hit the target around 20 to 40 meters away. Their precision and courage is impressive. The "dart" is pretty big, the target pretty small and the guys standing near the target seems to be worryingly close while the competition is throwing the dart.
Men playing Khuru in Punakha, Bhutan. Khuru is a traditional Bhutanese sport. It involves throwing darts outdoors with a target approximately 20 metres.
Nuns are praying at the The Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery in Punakha, Bhutan.
Spectators at the Changlimithang Archery Field in Thimphu, Bhutan. Archery is a national sport in Bhutan. 
Walking to The Tigers Nest Monastery (Paro Taktsang or Taktsang monastery) takes about 2-3 hours. Making the walk in the morning imporoves the chance to see the spectacular views. The monastery is located near Paro and is only accessible by foot. It hangs on a precipitous cliff at 3,120 metres (10,240 ft) above sea level and  about 900 metres (3,000 ft) above the Paro Valley. 
Walking to The Tigers Nest Monastery (Paro Taktsang or Taktsang monastery) takes about 2-3 hours. Making the walk in the morning imporoves the chance to see the spectacular views. The monastery is located near Paro and is only accessible by foot. It hangs on a precipitous cliff at 3,120 metres (10,240 ft) above sea level and  about 900 metres (3,000 ft) above the Paro Valley.
Paro Dzong, otherwise named Rinpung dzong. Monks talking together outside the Paro Dzong.
The Changangkha monastery is located in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. This is the temple where parents come to in order to name their children- they pick a name from the available names at the temple. It is thought that this process as well as the blessings from the local Llama is bringing good luck to the child. Apart from the Royal family, there are no family names given in Bhutan.
#reportage #photography #photojournalism #nikonpro #bhutan #workshop #travel #d810 #nikon #keystone #documentary #explore #happy #himalaya #monastery #tigersnest #photographyworkshop #switzerland #paro #keystonephoto