Nez - Changing Lenses

Nez - Changing Lenses

Historic places are the identity and memories of cities. 

These photos are from my home town. In 2015-2016 people had to flee from the historical city centre  - a UNESCO world heritage site. The thousand year old city's historic texture was destroyed or seriously damaged.

Now people are like immigrants in their own country. Many people are unemployed and homeless. They are not allowed to speak in their mother tongue and to protect their cultural values.

When people's reasons for living such as their memories, their cities, their history, their values are destroyed or prohibited, they choose to go abroad - particularly those who are educated. This brain drain reduces the quality of education within the country. Now the historical places are empty, ruined and banned with all the memories inside...

But history will not be erased from our memories even if places are physically destroyed. 

Children suffer the most in any conflict. What is destroyed is their future. But history will not be erased from their memories. It will always live with them. At the same time, children are beacons of hope in these dark days. They will bloom in the future. 

Children are the sellers of hope in dark days.

A long hopeful journey blooms with children.

Enligtenment embraces you at the end of darkness. 

The window of peace and hope smiles to the world.

Yes it is hard for immigrants to hold onto life and there are many obstacles for integration but it is not impossible because the sky is always there and it is still blue.

These photos and accompanying writing were made as part of the Changing Lenses; London stories of Integration project. You can listen to my podcast for the project here: https://soundcloud.com/migrant-voice/nezahat-karakas