Balkan Solidarity From Threatened Rivers


  • Photographer
    Bennett Barthelemy
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention
  • Company/Studios
    Bennett Barthelemy Freelance
  • Date of Photograph
    November 7, 2017
  • Technical Info
    Sony RX100 markV

A group of women from Kruscica, Bosnia stand guard in peaceful resistance on a bridge, 24-7 to keep hydropower construction trucks out. There is a new sense of community developing here in the Balkans and taking root that transcends religions, cultures, national borders, ethnicities, politics and political corruption. There is a sharing of knowledge with other municipalities that have suffered or are under threat from hydro development (3,000 hydropower projects are proposed and some under way) that effectively is destroying rivers and wildlife and sustainable tourism opportunities. These women, and other river defenders in the Balkans, have suffered abuse of special forces police and have had legal battles fail yet they stand together protecting their drinking water and resources from what they see as shortsighted capitalist greed. Coalitions are evolving to protect the rivers. After centuries of conflict the free-flowing of rivers that know little of borders are creating harmony.

You can create multiple entries, and pay for them at the same time.
Just go to your History, and select multiple entries that you would like to pay for.