Representatives of the EU info centers visited the “Echoes of the War” exhibition

Almost 60 young people from the local EU info centers visited the “Echoes of the War” exhibition by the Syrian photographer Omar Sanadiki.

20 photos illustrate the war in two countries suffering from war 12 years apart: Syria – in 2011, and Ukraine – in 2023. Young people from Chisinau and Durlesti joined us on Friday, October 6, 2023, at the National History Museum of Moldova to hear from the first source what documentary photography means and how destructive the consequences of a war can be.

Through his photographs, Sanadiki offers a reflective visual journey that contrasts the atmosphere of the 2011 war in Syria with that captured in 2023 Ukraine. The photographer documents the war in Syria from day one of its beginning, photographing the destruction and the lives of the residents of Homes, Aleppo and Damascus. The idea of the exhibition appeared in Ukraine, during a media training organized by the EEAS, in which Sanadiki participated.

“While visiting Ukraine and talking to Ukrainian journalists, I felt inspired to see how the Ukrainian people face the war. It reminded me of my people, the Syrians, and their suffering and pain”, said Omar Sanadiki during the exhibition’s official opening event, which the Ambassador of the European Union attended to the Republic of Moldova, Jānis Mažeiks, and the Director of Strategic Communication and Foresight of the EEAS, Aude Maio-Coliche also attended. 

The next day after the opening, the exhibition was visited by the members of the Euro-clubs from “Alexei Mateevici” College, “Spiru Haret” High School, “Hyperion” High School in Durlești, the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, the International Free University of Moldova, and the State University of Moldova – Faculty of International Relations and Political and Administrative Sciences.

The participants had the opportunity to talk directly to the author of the works. Sanadiki combined the photos he took in Syria with images from Ukraine, from personal reactions to the destruction caused by war, showing the inside of bombed-out houses, hands digging through rubble looking for some erased memories and fragments of past lives. He also illustrates how life goes on in both countries, with everyday stories of families, friends and passers-by moving on and continuing their lives in Syria and Ukraine.

The exhibition is open with free access until October 31, 2023.