Over 150 photojournalists, artists, media professionals, activists, members of the international community, representatives of the Albanian government, and members of the Ukrainian community gathered in Tirana to highlight the ongoing war crisis in Ukraine. 

On Thursday, February 22, 2024, at the Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD) in Tirana, Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans (OSF-WB) and FotoEvidence Association kicked off the “Ukraine: A War Crime” exhibition with the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in attendance.  

Welcoming participants, Andi Dobrushi, OSF-WB Regional Director emphasized the exhibition’s mission to document and share the stark realities faced by Ukrainians. “We at the OSF-WB are committed to amplifying the voices of those affected by this conflict. This exhibition serves not only as a testament to the resilience of the Ukrainian people but also as a call to action for the international community to stand against such atrocities,” Dobrushi stated.  

“I grew up in Soviet Bulgaria and I know full well what the Russians are capable of,“ shared Svetlana Bachevanova, the curator of the exhibition and publisher of FotoEvidence. When Russia Invaded Ukraine, and the world learned about Bucha, the mass graves in Irpin, FotoEvidence launched an open call for photographers working in Ukraine to document the war crimes committed by Russia on Ukrainian soil. Photographers from 32 countries submitted over 6,000 images. The result is the book: Ukraine: A War Crime, a collaboration between the OSF-WB, FotoEvidence and 93 photojournalists. The publication contains over 350 photographs and 38 personal accounts from photographers about what they witnessed. 

The book gathers visual evidence of violence and war crimes committed in Ukraine since February 2022. It serves not only as a severe exposition of the human catastrophe and the egregious violations by Russia in Ukraine but also acts as a catalyst for mobilization and a historical record for future generations. It narrates the harrowing tales of survivors and eyewitnesses to the monstrous crimes committed by Russia. Ukraine: A War Crime was awarded as the “Photography Book of the Year” at the International Photography Awards (IPA) in New York. FotoEvidence also received the silver medal at the Anthem Awards in the human rights category. 

The month-long exhibition, held from February 23 to March 23, 2024 in Tirana, featured themed displays that explored the human impact, showcased vivid photos of resilience and despair, and included interactive panels for in-depth discussions on the ongoing war conflict and its global effects. On March 19, an event titled “Media and Civil Society in Times of Crisis and Conflict” featured a panel of journalists, civil society activists, and experts. On March 21, the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol,” awarded the Oscar for Best Documentary, was shown to the Albanian public for the first time. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited the exhibition on February 28 during his trip to Tirana, where Albania and Ukraine co-hosted a Peace Summit for South-East European leaders. 

The exhibition garnered significant media attention, beginning with a press conference on February 21. This was followed by multiple media appearances on RTSH, Vizion+ TV, Top-Channel TV, and other outlets, featuring interviews with Svetlana Bachevanova and American photojournalist Christopher Occhicone living in Ukraine. 

On the second anniversary of the invasion, CNN featured a long story about the book with interviews with several of the photographers and more than a dozen images from the book. 

In a time of mistrust in the media and a flood of strong Russian propaganda about the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, FotoEvidence in cooperation with the OSF-WB will continue to exhibit Ukraine: A War Crime in Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. 

With the support of the OSF-WB, FotoEvidence is preparing for publication a second volume of Ukraine: A War Crime focusing on the effects of war on children, women, and families. The book will include work dating from the real start of Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2014. Over 200 photojournalists have contributed to FotoEvidence’s continuing documentation of the Russian crimes in Ukraine.