Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty has just published a photo story as part of my long time personal project on social vulnerability in Armenia and Georgia. It’s been going on since 2000 or 2001 and I’ve written countless articles and produced many more photo projects that at some point I need to upload to this site. Anyway, for now the RFE/RL photo story.
This photo documentary was started in 2013 by Onnik James Krikorian. It grew out of another project documenting the problems of children deprived of parental care and sent to institutions in Armenia and Georgia during the years between 2000 and 2010. Georgia has initiated reforms of its child protection system, but many children still can be found living or working on the streets.
Despite reforms in the area of child protection, the number of children living and working on the streets has increased. And contrary to general perceptions, not all have chosen to follow this path.
Earlier this month, Tbilisi celebrated Tbilisoba, the city’s annual harvest festival. Over the years it has changed significantly and seems smaller than before. I first covered the event in 2011 but the best so far remains 2014 when there was more representation of traditional Georgian folk dance and music as well as by ethnic minorities such as the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities. This year, that was held relatively far away from Tbilisi’s Old Town and Rike Park with very little publicity or in some media any at all. Nonetheless, those that attended appeared to enjoy themselves sufficiently and I managed to photo stories.
This month, against the backdrop of the Caucasus Mountains, a unique four-day festival in Georgia celebrated its tenth anniversary. Held annually in August, the multi-disciplinary One Caucasus festival aims to rediscover a spirit of unity and cooperation that once flourished among the diverse nations of the region.
