A Global Moment in Time

A GLOBAL MOMENT IN TIME

A GLOBAL MOMENT IN TIME

THROUGH THE LENS OF IVLP PARTICIPANTS

Front cover photographs courtesy of the following contributors:

Top Row (Left to Right)

Binsar Bakkara. Medan, Indonesia

Terry Muikamba. Nairobi, Kenya

Salah Malkawi. Amman, Jordan Thoko Chikondi. Blantyre, Malawi

Second Row (Left to Right)

Karlis Dambrans. Riga, Latvia

Ibrahim Mansur. Lagos, Nigeria

Reem Alhalal. Manama, Bahrain Hristo Rusev. Svilengrad, Bulgaria

Danil Usmanov. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Saiyna Bashir. Islamabad, Pakistan

Dipu Malakar. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Individual contributors submitted written and photographic content for this publication. The information about the contributor and their content is formatted as follows:

Contributor Name. City, Country Photograph Location

Contributor's Caption

A Global Moment in Time © copyright 2022 by the U.S. Department of State. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, by photography or xerography or by any other means, by broadcast or transmission, by translation into any kind of language, nor by recording electronically or otherwise, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in critical articles or reviews.

Meridian International Center Washington, DC

ISBN: 978-0-9961449-3-3

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022917058

First Printing: 2022 Printed in Canada

The views expressed by the IVLP participants and other contributors in this book are their own and not necessarily those of the U.S. Government.

ABOUT THE IVLP

The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. Through short-term visits to the United States, current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields experience this country firsthand and cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts. Meetings and other engagements reflect the participants’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States.

A Global Moment in Time

In October 2021, the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) launched “A Global Moment in Time,” a special International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) initiative designed to ad dress significant contemporary societal conditions af fecting all corners of the world. Each project included a virtual component in 2021 and an in-person component in the U.S. in 2022 or 2023. The participants of this exchange initiative are the main contributors of this photobook.

Photojournalists Document Challenges and Opportunities in the COVID Era: In this project, photojour nalists examined the role of photojournalism in civil discourse, public opinion, and public understanding of how COVID-19 disrupted society as well as brought people and organizations together.

Peace and Justice: In this project, peace and justice practitioners learned how U.S. leaders and organi zations engage in mediating political, socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious disputes, and discussed conflict resolution methods and strategies.

Reflections on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA): In this project, DEIA advocates exam ined how historical trends impact minorities and the efforts of modern civil rights groups to challenge as sumptions and change the status quo to advance op portunities for all.

Third Row (Left to Right)

Ngô Trần Hả An. Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam Matthew Mirabelli. Gharghur, Malta

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil Roman Camacho. Caracas, Venezuela

Fourth Row (Left to Right)

Brittany Lynk. Washington, DC, United States

FOREWORD

Meridian International Center is a nonpartisan diplomacy center that catalyzes collabo ration among leaders in order to drive solutions to the greatest shared global challenges of our times. In 1960, Meridian was founded with a vision to promote greater international understanding and to strengthen engagement between the United States and the world. Meridian believes we are stronger at home when globally engaged and through cultivating the next generation of global leaders with professional exchange and training programs; connecting governments, the private sector and the diplomatic corps; and harnessing the arts and culture to bridge communities through cross-cultural program ming, we can create a more secure, prosperous world. The U.S. Department of State partnered with Meridian to produce this historic publication.

More than two years into the global pandemic, the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, even as vaccines are deployed worldwide and virus variants are mitigated. As nations closed their borders in early 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, interna tional exchange and public diplomacy became more challenging than ever, while also becoming even more critical. The global health emergency and reverber ating crisis underscored the importance of strength ening international engagement and cooperation. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Depart ment of State’s International Visitor Leadership Pro gram (IVLP) developed “A Global Moment in Time,” an initiative to bring together changemakers from around the world to promote mutual understanding and dis cuss ways to address global issues. This initiative is a testament to the international spirit of cooperation, which has grown stronger in response to the unprece dented and unpredictable difficulties of the early years of this decade. We hope the legacy of this era will not be defined solely by the immense suffering brought on by COVID-19, but also by how people around the world

demonstrated strength, determination, and creativity to focus on our shared concerns. The leaders featured in these pages have drawn upon discussions with their American counterparts and each other to continue to serve as global leaders to shape a more peaceful, just, and inclusive future.

This publication is a tribute to them, and it serves as a reminder of our collective humanity and resilience.

Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs - U.S. Department of State

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

EUROPE AND EURASIA

NEAR EAST AFRICA

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA

EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC

EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC

EUROPE AND EURASIA

NEAR EAST

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

“ . . . address inequities in our institutions, communities, and even our individual relationships, so that we can draw on the diversity that is one of our great strengths

”

WELCOME

From Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken to the Global Moment in Time Initiative

Friday, September 17, 2021

On behalf of the State Department, welcome to the “Global Moment in Time” initiative. Those of you join ing in this new initiative hail from around 90 countries. You are government officials and journalists; educa tors and public health professionals; law enforcement officers and human rights defenders. You fight for the equal rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in Armenia. You’ve used music to advance LGBTI rights in Indonesia, to bridge long-standing divisions between the Republic of Korea and Japan. You’ve organized movements to give voice to indigenous communities in Suriname and Guatemala and used photographs to humanize the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wherever you work, whatever you work on, you were nominated for this program because you’re in a position to help lead in addressing at least one of three pressing global challenges: the pandemic;

peace and justice; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

All three are challenges we’re grappling with right now in the United States. COVID-19 has claimed hun dreds of thousands of lives. It’s hit Black and Brown communities hardest, laying bare deep economic, health, and educational inequities that have existed for far too long. We’re working to urgently address ineq uities in our institutions, in our communities, even our individual relationships, so that we can draw on the diversity that is our greatest strength.

The United States is not alone in this. Most democ racies in the world are facing some version of these challenges. So are countries with authoritarian gov ernments. Many of you know this firsthand.

And just as you will learn from some of the State Department’s best policymakers and diplomats and from pathbreaking civil society advocates across America, from faith leaders to grassroots activists, we will learn from you—from the questions you ask, the experiences you share, and the tactics and strategies you’ve developed.

And, maybe as important or more important, you will learn from one another, and, we hope, form partner ships and friendships that will last long into the future.

Too often, we end up working most with people who approach problems from a similar perspective. This initiative will expose you to colleagues whose backgrounds and tool kits are completely different from your own. Seek them out. Of all the skills you’ll deepen in this initiative, the capacity to see these chal lenges through the eyes of others—and make them your allies—will be among the most valuable.

A big thanks to Anne Grimes, head of the Office of International Visitors, and her entire team for launch ing this initiative.

And welcome to you all. I can’t wait to see all that we’ll do together.

A GLOBAL MOMENT IN TIME

AFRICA

Dan Nsengiyumva. Kigali, Rwanda Kigali, Rwanda

A young girl dropped out of school and left her parents after becoming pregnant during the pandemic.

Berhan Araya. Asmara, Eritrea

Asmara, Eritrea

May 23, 2020: On Independence Day Eve, crowds usually fill the streets. Due to COVID-19, the streets were empty.

Berhan Araya. Asmara, Eritrea

Asmara, Eritrea

Due to COVID-19, a camera person recorded a singer on Martyr’s Day, the second most celebrated day in Eritrea, for later broadcast on TV.

Youssouf Bah. Conakry, Guinea Conakry, Guinea

A man got his COVID-19 vaccine at the National Agency for Health Security building.

Youssouf Bah. Conakry, Guinea Kamsar, Guinea

After President Alpha Condé was overthrown, a mask was thrown away in a garden as people forgot about COVID-19.

Youssouf Bah. Conakry, Guinea Conakry, Guinea A poster promoted COVID-19 vaccination at the General Lansana Conté Stadium.

Thoko Chikondi. Blantyre, Malawi Blantyre, Malawi

January 30, 2021: A health worker dried decontaminated nasal prongs and oxygen face masks at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre in southern Malawi. In January 2021, COVID-19 claimed more lives in Malawi than in all of 2020.

Thoko Chikondi. Blantyre, Malawi Blantyre, Malawi

January 30, 2021: A health worker took oxygen cylinders to COVID-19 wards at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital.

Thoko Chikondi. Blantyre, Malawi Chiradzulu, Malawi

May 23, 2021: Traditional birth attendant Lucy Mbewe listened to an unborn baby’s heartbeat at her home at Simika Village. Pregnant women in Malawi were forgoing prenatal care, fearing contracting COVID-19 at hospitals. They were instead relying solely on traditional birth attendants.

Thoko Chikondi. Blantyre, Malawi Lilongwe, Malawi

March 5, 2021: An Emirates plane carrying Malawi’s first consignment of COVID-19 vaccines arrived at Kamuzu International Airport, which included 360,000 doses of AstraZeneca arriving via COVAX facility. The first vaccine was administered on March 11, 2021, to Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera.

December 15, 2021: Seventy-two-year-old Wiseborn Banda received his first dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Kaongo Village, Kasungu District, Central Malawi. “I had no problems with the vaccine, but was not yet vaccinated because had not had a chance to do so. I am glad the government and its partners brought the vaccines to the community, even to our doorstep. My message to those who are afraid to get vaccinated because of fear is: we should trust what our health workers are saying about vaccines. We have always trusted our health workers with our lives all these years. I am particularly grateful for a chance to get vaccinated, because I am an old man, and hear COVID-19 has no mercy on old people. I hope can now go to funerals and church again after having this vaccine.”

Atiol Elmalik. Juba, South Sudan Juba, South Sudan

The Sudanese Government and rebel groups signed a Peace Deal (Left to Right, Sitting): Sudanese Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, South Sudan President Salva Kiir, and President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad.

Thoko Chikondi. Blantyre, Malawi

Kasungu, Malawi

Atiol Elmalik. Juba, South Sudan

Juba, South Sudan

A member of the Didinga tribe attended the Naminit Summit to discuss challenges and opportunities that could improve life. The Summit was last held in 2012, after a 30-year break due to civil war.

Atiol Elmalik. Juba, South Sudan

Juba, South Sudan

Kwacijowk John, managing director of the PIC Diagnostic Center, met Tuna Zacharia Nyboi, a lab technologist in the MED Blue Laboratory, doing intensive work together. They fell in love and were married during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mainimo Etienne Mengnjo. Yaoundé, Cameroon Limbe, Cameroon

Babies born prematurely during the COVID-19 pandemic laid in incubators in a neonatal unit at Limbe Regional Hospital while their mothers waited outside.

Mainimo Etienne Mengnjo. Yaoundé, Cameroon Limbe, Cameroon

A mother fed her premature newborn during the COVID-19 pandemic. The child was in an incubator in a neonatal unit at Limbe Regional Hospital.

Mainimo Etienne Mengnjo. Yaoundé, Cameroon Limbe, Cameroon

Nurses comforted a nursing mother at a neonatal unit at Limbe Regional Hospital where her child received medical attention. Many people were afraid to come to the hospital due to COVID-19.

Mainimo Etienne Mengnjo. Yaoundé, Cameroon Idenau, Cameroon

In the Indnau’s Southwest Region, people boarded their boats and prepared for a day’s fishing. The COVID-19 pandemic did not keep them from doing their normal work.

Ibrahim Mansur. Lagos, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

Marriage during the pandemic: The couple wore face shields at their wedding, which was originally postponed due to the lockdown and held when the lockdown was partially lifted (The groom is the photographer’s cousin).

Ibrahim Mansur. Lagos, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

Community members watched as a gas station burned during the third week of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Ibrahim Mansur. Lagos, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

January 2021: The new normal. Nigerian soldiers wore face masks during the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Ibrahim Mansur. Lagos, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

A protester was arrested by police officers during the “Yoruba Nation” protest, which demanded the independence of the six states in the southwest region of the country.

Ibrahim Mansur. Lagos, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

A teacher checked a student’s temperature, a COVID-19 protocol observed in schools and public places.

Chinyere Cecilia Ibezim. Jos, Nigeria

Wase Local Government Area, Nigeria

Communities collected data to find the level of women’s involvement in peace building and security efforts.

Chinyere Cecilia Ibezim. Jos, Nigeria

Wase Local Government Area, Nigeria

Data was collected to ascertain the level of gender-based violence and suggest the way forward.

Ibrahim Mansur. Lagos, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

A man received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Olivier Khouadiani. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

March 2020: A few hours before the curfew was decreed by the Government. The streets were empty except for this man who dared, as inspired by God, to deliver messages to the people.

Olivier Khouadiani. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

November 2021: Same location and person, but different situation. For a few months, life resumed as if COVID-19 no longer existed in Côte d’Ivoire. The message on the sign was dedicated to the day of peace.

A PERFECT WORLD

January 20, 2022

Freedom to be, freedom to exist, freedom to express my uniqueness, freedom to love as I would, exist as I should, freedom without bars.

Acceptance without prejudice, acceptance of all my rough edges weird choices and all, acceptance when they say it’s wrong and I say it’s right, acceptance no matter what.

Equality for all men were made equal, equality without limitation is all I ask, equality as a source of inspiration for generations unborn, equality for both female, male and other genders, equality because we all endure the same conditions in the society.

Oneness, the true blindness to colour, blindness to race, blindness to tribe, blindness to language, and blindness to religion. Oneness, erases our difference and reminds us of our similarities. Oneness the quick reminder of our humanity, you are human and so am I.

Prosperity for all, the mark of a happy and healthy people in a thriving society, Prosperity for all, the symbol of a working world where the abnormality of balancing economic equations is a distant memory and an abolished pattern.

Peace, the eye of the quelled clouds of thunderous conflict. Peace, the radiance of a blooming unity petals, evidenced by the peaceful coexistence of both black and white, Africans, Asians, Europeans and others. Peace, a total disregard of all factors affiliated to the destructive pattern of war.

I see a world of more united person, I see a world transformed over night into a safe haven and a prosperous enclave. Let this world transform bring forth all beauty in due season.

Ada Macsydney Chukwu, Enugu, Nigeria

Olivier Khouadiani. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Grand Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire

October 24 to November 7, 2021: Abissa cultural festival took place for first time in three years. People danced and enjoyed while not wearing masks.

Tenson Mkhala. Lusaka, Zambia

Lusaka, Zambia

Council workers disinfected the street and Bauleni Township Market as COVID-19 cases increased.

Tenson Mkhala. Lusaka, Zambia

Chongwe Town, Zambia

People queued up to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Lusaka, Zambia

Tenson Mkhala. Lusaka, Zambia

School students wore face masks and reported for class despite high levels of COVID-19 cases.

Tenson Mkhala. Lusaka, Zambia Lusaka, Zambia

A man’s body temperature was checked before giving him his COVID-19 vaccine.

Terry Muikamba. Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, Kenya

In a community flooded by conspiracy theories around COVID-19, sensitization was key.

Terry Muikamba. Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, Kenya

Used masks sat atop a heap of garbage at Nairobi’s Dandora Dumpsite.

Tenson Mkhala. Lusaka, Zambia Chongwe, Zambia

Community health workers taught themselves how to use an infrared thermometer before testing members of the public who awaited vaccinations.

Terry Muikamba. Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, Kenya

A construction worker, aware of the dangers of COVID-19, protected his health and his livelihood.

Jacob Nankhonya. Lilongwe, Malawi Lilongwe, Malawi

Malawi Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda loaded expired COVID-19 vaccines into an incinerator at Kamuzu Central Hospital.

Jacob Nankhonya. Lilongwe, Malawi Lilongwe, Malawi

Mphatso Mtenje, vaccine cold chain manager, carried documentation for expired COVID-19 vaccines to be incinerated at Kamuzu Central Hospital.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa April 16, 2020: A South African National Defense Force (SANDF) armored personnel carrier drove through Alexandra Township during a patrol on day twenty-one of the nationwide lockdown instituted by the South African government to help curb the spread of COVID-19. SANDF and South African police were deployed to ensure the enforcement of lockdown regulations such as wearing masks or staying indoors unless necessary.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa

Diepsloot, South Africa

May 12, 2020: Gogo Muhlavasi, a traditional healer at her Ndhumba (XiTsonga for shrine) during a telephone consultation with a client. She was forced to offer more consultations telephonically because her clients were less able to travel due to lockdown restrictions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa Pretoria, South Africa

January 11, 2020: Oxygen tanks and the healthcare workers who treated COVID-19 patients at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital. The COVID-19 ward was moved outside to a tented area due to limited space and beds inside the hospital.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa

Pretoria, South Africa

March 29, 2020: A crowd of homeless people gathered by South African Police at the Caledonian Stadium in the Central Business District, where most of the city’s homeless were moved during lockdown. People were seen jostling to receive food parcels.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa Pretoria, South Africa

April 27, 2020: Some of the hundreds of homeless who were moved from the crowded Caledonian Stadium and housed in a marquee and tents at the Lyttleton Sports grounds as they waited to receive daily food rations.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa

Pretoria, South Africa

April 15, 2020: A man pushed a trolley down an empty street in the Central Business District on day twenty of the national lockdown, which left most informal traders with no means of earning an income. With no customers and laws prohibiting them from operating, street sellers were often left destitute.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa Pretoria, South Africa April 20, 2020: Homeless people housed at the Lyttleton Sports Grounds fought over sandwiches that were handed out as part of their daily rations.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa

Pretoria, South Africa

June 4, 2020: During operation O Kae Molao in Marabastad, members of South African police services, traffic police, and correctional services checked shops and street traders for their permits and monitored compliance with the lockdown regulations.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa Hammanskraal, South Africa

March 31, 2020: A commuter at the Kopanong Taxi Rank wore protective gear to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while taxis were being sanitized before transporting commuters to Pretoria.

Jacques Nelles. Pretoria, South Africa

Pretoria, South Africa

April 6, 2020: Department of Transport workers sanitized taxis along Solomon Mhalhangu Road in Mamelodi.

Chris Njeri. Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, Kenya Diversity and Inclusion training to educate, sensitize, and create more awareness for the LGBTQI+ community in Kenya promoted work inclusion at the offices of Vivo, a big fashion brand in East Africa.

Chris Njeri. Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, Kenya

For our docuseries, Human Enough, I, CEO of Bold Network Africa, shared my story about leading an openly gay life. Part of the work we do uses storytelling to end discrimination and accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQI+ community.

Dan Nsengiyumva. Kigali, Rwanda Gasabo District, Rwanda Schoolchildren washed their hands before the afternoon class at Kimironko Primary School.

Dan Nsengiyumva. Kigali, Rwanda Kicukiro District, Rwanda

When classrooms were closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, children spent their time fetching wood for cooking.

Dan Nsengiyumva. Kigali, Rwanda Kayonza District, Rwanda

As Bright watched the cows grazing in his father’s field, even COVID-19 couldn’t stop him from dreaming of becoming a doctor.

Dan Nsengiyumva. Kigali, Rwanda Rubavu District, Rwanda

A young sailor who dropped out of school due to financial issues caused by the pandemic sipped tea during a break.

Dan Nsengiyumva. Kigali, Rwanda Kigali, Rwanda

During the long school holiday caused by the pandemic, children worked together to fetch water, passing over a bridge formed by a fallen tree.

Kunle Ogunfuyi. Lagos, Nigeria

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

December 3, 2021: Organizers of Arise Fashion Week staged a one-day show at the Armani Hotel Burj Khalifa, alongside the Expo 2020 Dubai. Backstage at the show, a young male barber worked on a model’s hair. Both wore face masks in compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures.

Kunle Ogunfuyi. Lagos, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

October 2020: Nigerians in several states embarked on a nationwide peaceful protest against the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an arm of the Nigeria Police Force. The protest was aimed at drawing government attention to the several extrajudicial killing cases against SARS operatives. To express their grievances against unethical SARS operations, some youths staged a complete blockade on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway along Ilasamaja, a major road connecting the Tin Can Island Port and Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Dream Chaser

By Awiye Sharon Serkwem

Out of the blue it starts like the rumbling of thunder in the distance; The mouth of home becomes a dark shark ready to devour the whole nation.

No one is listening whilst the city is on fire; The towns burn down but there’s no water.

Everyone running helter-skelter towards the border; Breath bloody in their throats, hot blood in the belly, fire under feet;

Fleeing from what was once called home—from yearslong of rage and rebellion; Against the so-called leaders who have potbellied the resources meant for the masses.

Children leave their homes for school on a bright morning, With hopes of making a difference in society, But come face to face with nefarious villains, Holding guns bigger than their bodies, Having neither remorse nor regard for life.

You love home but home won’t let you stay.

You leave home because it chases you, not something you ever dreamt of doing; Until blade blunt slits through throats. Then you carry the anthem under your breath; Reminiscing on the patriotism that flowed through your veins, which has now become poison to your ears.

You sob as the words fill your heart, making it clear that you wouldn’t go back. No one leaves home until home speaks from within and whispers in ears in a ravenous voice saying, leave, run away from me now.

I don’t know what I’ve become, but I know that anywhere is safer than here; The rest of your days are lived in regret—thinking of what you’ve become A “migrant des rêves.”

Awiye Sharon Serkwem. Buea, Cameroon

This poem, “Dream Chaser” was on the theme Migration and Refugees. It was inspired by the rapid growth in rates of internal and external migration in recent years as a result of armed conflict in some regions of the country.

Kunle Ogunfuyi. Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos, Nigeria

October 2020: A national peaceful protest by Nigerians against the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an arm of the Nigeria Police Force, gave birth to the #ENDSARS. In the financial hub, #ENDSARS was hand-painted on almost every available public space.

We Move

By Awiye Sharon Serkwem

We move, we move and we move;

Yesterday we moved, today we move, tomorrow we know we shall move.

Our forefathers moved, our fathers moved, we move, though with two questions in mind:

Why do we keep moving? Shall our children move?

Then we realise we move before we even notice;

Then we think, we move because our freedom is at stake.

Here we are today, on the move, accompanied by nothing but uncertainties:

Shall we see tomorrow? What shall we eat? Where shall our children sleep?

The night seems so long, yet we are hopeful.

Hopeful because the music from guns is far away;

Hopeful because although we sleep hard, we live;

Hopeful because our diversity makes us stronger;

And although we might still move, we shall move with courage because the need to survive drives us on.

Awiye Sharon Serkwem. Buea, Cameroon

The poem “We Move” spoke to migration and the plight of refugees, ending with a light of hope, showing the need for survival in adversity.

Jean Paul Simbashira. Bujumbura, Burundi Bujumbura, Burundi

A special community action session on COVID-19 prevention with youth from a bicycle taxi driver group.

Emmanuel Yegon. Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya

Twenty-five-year-old graffiti artist from Mathare, Mutua Ndereva, posed against his mural. This is one of many murals he drew across Mathare, Huruma and other informal settlements during the pandemic lockdowns to promote mask wearing, communicate messages of hope, create awareness, and call out ills such as gender-based violence.

Emmanuel Yegon. Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, Kenya

During pandemic lockdown, Mutua Ndereva created a mural calling on the community to work with the police to end widespread insecurity.

Mohamed Abukar Zubeyr. Mogadishu, Somalia Jowhar District, Somalia

A meeting with the vulnerable and marginalized communities’ elders discussed a range of issues including how to resolve recurrent floods self-sufficiently rather than relying on partial and discriminatory federal and state authorities; the need to establish education and health centers; and issues related to the advocacy for and protection of the rights of marginalized communities.

Jean Paul Simbashira. Bujumbura, Burundi Bujumbura, Burundi

A peace sign designed with bottle caps by my team in Kanyosha.

EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC

Margaret Burin. Melbourne, Australia Melbourne, Australia

“When my brother, who lives with my mum, tested positive for COVID-19, my daughter went to her nanna’s window to cheer her up during her isolation. As she jumped with joy, my mum cried happy tears. I often wondered how we would look back upon these moments.”

Binsar Bakkara. Medan, Indonesia

Medan, Indonesia

An empty road in the usually busy downtown Medan, during the lockdown imposed by local government in response to increasing infections and deaths from COVID-19. The lockdown was expected to help stop the spread of the deadly virus, but it also threatened the economy.

Binsar Bakkara. Medan, Indonesia Medan, Indonesia

During the local government lockdown, Wak No, a seventy-three-year-old motorcycle rickshaw driver, slept after a day with no orders. The lockdown affected the income of people in grassroots communities. After reading about Wak No on the photographer’s social media site, an Indonesian lecturer in Saudi Arabia asked to make a donation to help him.

Binsar Bakkara. Medan, Indonesia Medan, Indonesia

A farming family donated bananas to the Medan Zoo in response to an appeal for food for the animals. The number of visitors to the zoo dropped when the COVID-19 outbreak began and the zoo was eventually closed to help curb its spread.

Binsar Bakkara. Medan, Indonesia Medan, Indonesia April 2020: Family members comforted each other while they watched the burial of a loved one from a distance at a newly opened cemetery for victims of COVID-19.

Binsar Bakkara. Medan, Indonesia

Medan, Indonesia

Margaret Burin. Melbourne, Australia Melbourne, Australia

On a normal Friday evening, as the sun disappeared behind the light towers, eager Australian Rules football fans would have begun to fill seats in the stands, a beer in one hand and a pie in the other. But while the city endured a lockdown of 262 days, one of the world’s longest, this 100,000-person venue sat eerily empty.

A Somali refugee received a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a mass vaccination campaign for refugees organized by the Indonesian government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Many asylum seekers fled to Indonesia as a jumping-off point to reach Australia.

Margaret Burin. Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne, Australia

At the start of the city’s lockdown, florist Helen Davies cried for five days after losing thousands of dollars in event bookings. The pandemic forced her to reinvent her business and gave her the push she needed to finally launch her online store. Many of her orders were from Melburnians sending each other gestures of love and hope.

Margaret Burin. Melbourne, Australia Melbourne, Australia

The pandemic was crippling for the hospitality industry in parts of Australia. Bar managers like Marrit Postema of The Brunswick Green juggled initial fears of an outbreak being associated with their business, followed by lengthy closures during lockdowns. Later, as the country reached a 95% vaccination rate and restrictions eased, thousands of businesses still struggled to stay open, with nationwide staff shortages due to rapidly rising case numbers, scarcity of rapid tests, and a shortage of overseas workers.

October 25, 2021: Female Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) in Basilan Provincial Jail were visited by the Bangsamoro Attorney General’s Office (BAGO) as part of BAGO’s Community Legal Service Activity. Hygiene kits with bathroom essentials, alcohol, tissues, sanitary pads, and more were distributed. BAGO hopes to reach more jail and detention facilities to offer legal consultations and bring Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao legal services closer to the people.

January 21, 2022: The third Bangsamoro Foundation Day was celebrated with the theme: “Changing People’s Lives, Transforming the Bangsamoro: Celebrating and Sustaining the Gains of Peace and Moral Governance.” The Office of the Chief Minister Building was spectacularly lit with colors of the Bangsamoro flag, giving visitors something to smile about during the week-long celebration.

Socheata Hean. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Siem Pang District, Cambodia

As they strive to integrate with Khmer, the indigenous Kavet people in remote northeastern parts of Cambodia also strive to maintain their identity. School students obtained literacy skills as well as knowledge of Kavet culture and tradition.

Socheata Hean. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Siem Pang District, Cambodia

The indigenous Kavet students had fun playing a traditional game during their breaks at school. The game brought solidarity, courage, and a challenge.

Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba. Cotabato City, Philippines Cotabato City, Philippines

Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba. Cotabato City, Philippines Basilan, Philippines

Socheata Hean. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Siem Pang District, Cambodia

Indigenous Kavet students washed their hands before returning to class.

Usha Kulasegaran. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia The Korean Border Demilitarized Zone My visit to the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea was part of the Peace Mission at the Conference for Peace for Korea.

Kimberly Lovegrove. Brunswick, Australia Melbourne, Australia

Kungari Comedy, a comedy program ran through my event business, Kungari Entertainment, featured comedians talking about their experiences as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Ngô Trần Hải An. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The military checked permits allowing people to move around inside the city during the social distancing period.

Ngô Trần Hải An. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Doctors and nurses at the hospital in Thu Duc conducted consultations and studied the best treatment for COVID-19 patients.

Ngô Trần Hải An. Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Doctors and nurses organized the Mid-Autumn Festival for children who tested positive with COVID-19 and were treated in isolation at Cu Chi hospital.

Ngô Trần Hải An. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

A patient who died of COVID-19 was disinfected by medical staff to prevent the spread of the disease.

Ngô Trần Hải An. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Twelve members of one family who all had tested positive for COVID-19 happily waved to medical staff after a third negative test ended their quarantine.

Hoang Anh Nguyen. Hanoi, Vietnam Hanoi, Vietnam Victims at Peace House (part of Vietnam Women’s Union), a shelter for women and children experiencing gender-based violence, received free, comprehensive, and urgent support. The victim’s written message: “I’m always happy, I am sociable, love everyone, always listen.” Photo courtesy of Peace House.

Hoang Anh Nguyen. Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi, Vietnam

The Ao Dai Festival featured a parade of more than 500 women, including students, businesswomen, civil servants, designers, models, and others. The festival messages included “Hanoi, a city for peace,” and “Proud of Vietnamese women’s Ao Dai.” Photo courtesy of Truong Hung.

Duy Hieu Nguyen. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam September 2, 2021: The body of a person who died from COVID-19 was carried down from the second floor by a funeral crew in an old apartment in District 5. The family formed a line to view their loved one for the last time.

Duy Hieu Nguyen. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

December 3, 2020: Medical staff sprayed chloramine-B solution to disinfect after a university reported a student was infected with COVID-19.

Duy Hieu Nguyen. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam August 7, 2021: In a narrow alley, about 100 meters long, Ho Chi Minh City’s emergency team pulled a critically ill COVID-19 patient on a stretcher into an ambulance to take her to the hospital. Before being rushed to the emergency room by medical staff, this patient had difficulty breathing, chest pain, and underlying cardiovascular disease.

Duy Hieu Nguyen. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

September 2, 2021: A child stood praying outside the window, watching the funeral team wrap up his grandfather’s body for transport.

Emlyn Hope Rillon. Manila, Philippines Manila, Philippines

December 24, 2021: Catholic faithful stood on yellow circles painted in Plaza Miranda spaced one meter apart for social distancing as they waited for their turn to enter and attend Mass in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, also known as Quiapo Church. At that time, churches were allowed to accommodate vaccinated individuals inside, up to 30% of capacity. The church is a well-known landmark in the city, and houses the Black Nazarene, a life-sized statue of Christ that the faithful believe is miraculous.

Emlyn Hope Rillon. Manila, Philippines

Municipality of Cainta, Philippines

January 11, 2022: Residents in the municipality of Cainta lined up for vaccination against COVID-19 in the auditorium of the town’s public elementary school. Those who wished to be vaccinated were registered, physically examined, provided with counseling or health education, and signed informed consent forms. Second doses of vaccine were scheduled for adults and minors ages twelve to seventeen, as well as booster shots for seniors, persons with comorbidities, those with disabilities, and pregnant women. Just four days later, on January 15, the number of COVID-19 infections in the Philippines soared to more than 39,000, the highest daily average of confirmed cases since the pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization in March 2020.

Pasig City, Philippines

May 21, 2020: A healthcare worker and passersby walked by a mural outside a private hospital. The public artwork honors frontline workers in public service such as doctors, nurses, maintenance personnel, law enforcers, and others. During the nationwide lockdown, only frontline service providers and those with quarantine passes allowing them to buy food were able to be out. The city, which became the epicenter of COVID-19 infections, is part of Metropolitan Manila, an urban area home to approximately 14 million people.

Emlyn Hope Rillon. Manila, Philippines

Arie Ruhyanto. Yogyakarta, Indonesia Jayapura, Indonesia

On a research trip, I met soldiers guarding the border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Security threats in this border area were quite high, including marijuana smuggling, wildlife trade, illegal logging, and illegal arms trade.

Panumas Sanguanwong. Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, Thailand August 1, 2021: Healthcare workers transfered a patient suspected of having COVID-19 into an ambulance.

Panumas Sanguanwong. Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, Thailand

October 20, 2021: Vegetable gardens on the roofs of taxis at a taxi rental firm whose cars were out of service due to the business downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Panumas Sanguanwong. Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, Thailand

August 18, 2021: During anti-government protests, protesters placed a straw puppet on the Democracy Monument to symbolize COVID-19 deaths.

Vientiane, Laos

The new-normal exercise routine at Patuxai where people wore masks and face shields to protect them from COVID-19.

Phoonsab Thevongsa. Vientiane, Laos

Phoonsab Thevongsa. Vientiane, Laos Vientiane, Laos

Despite a lockdown, most markets were still open without COVID-19 prevention measures. The crowded Khuadin Market, located in the center of the capital, is one of the biggest fresh markets in Laos.

Phoonsab Thevongsa. Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane, Laos

The main street, usually filled with cars and motorbikes, was not full on the first week of city lockdown. People were advised to go only to markets and back to their homes.

Phoonsab Thevongsa. Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane, Laos

Monks at Wat Ongteu donned masks and participated in a Buddha image-cleaning ceremony during Lao New Year or Pi Mai Lao. The celebration is usually three days of activities, including prayers at temples, cleansing and blessing ceremonies, water games, and parties, but the celebration was prohibited to comply with lockdown measures.

Unho Ko. Seoul, South Korea Seoul, South Korea

October 9, 2020: Citizens walked between iron fences set up in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu. To help control gatherings on Hangul Day and prevent the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing, the police blocked the Gwanghwamun area with approximately 12,000 police officers, 13,000 iron fences, and 500 police buses.

Phoonsab Thevongsa. Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane, Laos

On the second day of the national lockdown, monks from Wat That Luang Neua wore masks to protect themselves from COVID-19.

Seoul, South Korea

Suwon, South Korea

Unho Ko. Seoul, South Korea

September 29, 2020: A day before the start of Chuseok holiday, an elderly couple wore face shields and masks at the train station. They took the train back to their homes in Sejong City after visiting their children’s homes in Seoul. They feared COVID-19 infection of their grandchildren.

Unho Ko. Seoul, South Korea

September 23, 2021: After the Chuseok holiday, employees sorted through disposable Styrofoam piled like a mountain at the Resource Circulation Center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, disposable packaging waste increased as the volume of deliveries increased significantly.

Unho Ko. Seoul, South Korea

Seoul, South Korea

July 20, 2020: To minimize infection, interpersonal contact, and droplet transmission during testing for COVID-19, medical staff collected samples from citizens at a drive-through screening clinic at Seocho Gymnasium in Seocho-gu. The drive-through inspection introduced in Korea was the first of its type in the world and was called a symbol of “K-quarantine.”

Unho Ko. Seoul, South Korea Seoul, South Korea

August 20, 2020: A pub owner and store owner discussed local business closures in Sindang-dong, Seoul that they attributed to COVID-19 social distancing measures.

Roland Schmid. Basel, Switzerland

Riehen, Switzerland

April 25, 2020: A Swiss-German couple met at the closed Swiss-German border on Lettackerweg. Due to the pandemic, Switzerland closed its borders for the first time since World War II. In recent decades the border was hardly visible; it could be crossed freely by residents of both countries. During the pandemic, barrier tape and fencing replaced the barbed wire that marked the border during World War II. The borders were closed from March 16 to June 15, 2020.

EUROPE AND EURASIA

Pavia, Italy

Arianna Arcara. Monza, Italy

Matteo, a psychologist who provided onsite psychological support to doctors and nurses inside the San Matteo Hospital.

Arianna Arcara. Monza, Italy Monza, Italy Emilio, ICU nurse at San Gerardo Hospital.

Arianna Arcara. Monza, Italy Monza, Italy

Stefania, ICU nurse at San Gerardo Hospital.

Arianna Arcara. Monza, Italy Pavia, Italy

Simona, ICU nurse at San Matteo Hospital.

Anush Aslanyan. Vanadzor, Armenia Eugene, Oregon, United States

At the 9th International Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) program funded by Mobility International USA, I was with several program participants from different countries.

Arianna Arcara. Monza, Italy Bergamo, Italy

Giancarla, ICU physician at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital.

Philipp Aigner. Munich, Germany Madrid, Spain

Visibility (in public spaces) is important for LGBTQI+ awareness and acceptance of diversity.

GOD HEALS

God heals

God has all the strength, all the sweat

All the wounds of all the world, he has them printed in millions of books

He reads them, he heals them.

He keeps the Bible and Qur’an under the bed, He is the same

For both the rich and the poor.

God has the most masterful pencil in the world

God waits, but he knows how to heal.

God has all our dreams in drawers

God waits, sips morning coffee and flips through the weekend read

He enjoys nature, animals, trees

God has us in the palm of his hand

South Pole, North Pole, human destiny God heals, God knows how to heal.

God brings medicine to the head where it is wounded.

He also has his prayers, our miserable lives He waits, he amazes us with recitations, beauties and with loves.

He is big, and we are small God is the Sun, and the rest of us just get light.

God heals,

He sees the legs that do not move, he sees the mouth that is afraid to speak

He sees the dried branches of the oak

He sees the mild morning dew

He sees the sisters mourning their dead brother

He sees diseases, perforated blood and injured aorta

He sees hospitals, he sees rooms of houses turned into hospitals

He sees the eyes of a girl who does not see

He sees the rain of all the deities

He sees the mountains above us, he sees the slain doe on the ground

We sleep like a lamb, we drown in crime, but I believe he does not sleep.

God sees because his images and visions are infinite

God heals, this great God of the seven worlds

He knows how to heal,

He waits, he may be late, He irons the smoothest shirt God in front of the mirror, a bright-eyed man

He also asks for some time for his sufferings.

God sees the bereaved, the wounded, God sees, He does not moan

And the God of some, their God, curses

My God waits, but He heals. Among us here He dwells.

Arbër Selmani. Pristina, Kosovo

Translated from Albanian by Fadil Bajraj

My poem was written originally in Albanian, about the power of God and the inclusivity of all people.

A bright and shining double rainbow over the city.

Philipp Aigner. Munich, Germany Munich, Germany

Joanna Bozerodska. Vilnius, Lithuania Vilnius, Lithuania

A Polish community in Lithuania gathered for the first time after lockdown to celebrate May Third, Constitution Day. The Polish-Lithuanian Constitution was adopted on May 3, 1791. It was the first written fundamental law in Europe and the second one in the world.

Joanna Bozerodska. Vilnius, Lithuania Vilnius, Lithuania

Catholics attended Sunday Mass in front of the icon of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn. While COVID-19 raged across the country, worshipers learned to adapt to new social distancing rules.

Joanna Bozerodska. Vilnius, Lithuania Vilnius, Lithuania

A student tried to celebrate the last day of school while facing the unknown during the pandemic.

Joanna Bozerodska. Vilnius, Lithuania Vilnius, Lithuania

Primary school students celebrated the start of the school year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Riga, Latvia

Karlis Dambrans. Riga, Latvia

October 28, 2021: Nurse Evija Zandberga, after a shift at a hospital with COVID-19 patients, several of whom she had to “pack in” for the morgue.

Karlis Dambrans. Riga, Latvia Riga, Latvia May 20, 2020: A DHL cargo Boeing 757 airplane with a special “Thank You” livery dedicated to healthcare and logistics workers arrived at Riga International Airport.

Karlis Dambrans. Riga, Latvia

Tokyo, Japan

July 22, 2021: Journalists interviewed Latvia beach volleyball team athletes at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village. Special barriers were installed and strict distancing rules were enforced to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Karlis Dambrans. Riga, Latvia Tokyo, Japan

July 23, 2021: Empty stadium seats were visible behind the Olympic flame at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. The games were postponed by a year because of COVID-19. Almost all events including opening and closing ceremonies at 2020 Olympics were held without spectators.

Karlis Dambrans. Riga, Latvia

Tokyo, Japan

July 31, 2021: Latvia vs. Mexico beach volleyball game at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. There were no spectators in the arena; only media and team members were allowed for most events.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia December 1, 2020: People waited in line to get a PCR test for COVID-19.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia

November 27, 2020: People waited in the cold to get a PCR test for COVID-19.

Blagica Eftimova. Sveti Nikole, North Macedonia Skopje, North Macedonia Graffiti next to a green market illustrated the idea that green markets took advantage of the pandemic to collect greater profits. The profit margin for citrus fruits increased by 300% during the early days of the pandemic. In response to citizen protests, the government regulated green market prices.

Blagica Eftimova. Sveti Nikole, North Macedonia Skopje, North Macedonia

In winter, a homeless child sat and begged on the famous Stone Bridge in the capital. Other homeless children made fun of him, and the pedestrians passed by as if nothing was happening.

Blagica Eftimova. Sveti Nikole, North Macedonia Rijeka, Croatia

Graffiti in the streets showed Mir Junaka, a former mausoleum in Trsat castle. Rijeka. Mir Junaka means Heroes Peace.

David Placer. Madrid, Spain Madrid, Spain

Professional musicians, trained in Venezuela, performed on the streets of Madrid to survive during the pandemic.

Anna Gvarishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia Tbilisi, Georgia

October 14, 2021: Tens of thousands gathered at the Central Freedom Square to demand the release of ex-Georgian President Saakashvili from prison. He was imprisoned almost immediately upon his return from an eight-year exile.

November 2020: Opposition voters braved extreme weather conditions (-2 C) and gathered in front of the Central Election Commission to protest alleged election fraud. Riot police used water cannons to disperse the crowd.

Anna Gvarishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia

November 2020: Riot police used water cannons to disperse opposition protesters. A dozen people were injured, including protesters and journalists. Two of the protesters sustained eye injuries.

Anna Gvarishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia Tbilisi, Georgia

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia

April 22, 2020: A woman in the local Belgrade market after some restrictions of movement due to COVID-19 were lifted.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia

June 29, 2020: A woman on the streets of Belgrade wore a face shield and face mask.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia June 24, 2020: People with COVID-19 symptoms waited in line to get a PCR test.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia

March 19, 2020: When curfew hours were imposed as COVID-19 cases increased, military personnel patrolled Serbia’s capital city streets.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia March 24, 2020: A makeshift 3,000-bed hospital created in Belgrade Fair, an anticipatory move by the government to ease the load on the country’s healthcare system caused by COVID-19.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia

April 1, 2020: Flags at half-staff outside the Palace of Serbia, honoring all those who died due to COVID-19.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia

April 6, 2020: Kalemegdan Fortress, a popular local and tourist destination usually crowded with people, was completely empty during curfew hours.

Filip Kraincanic. Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, Serbia

July 8, 2020: Protests turned violent when the country’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, announced new measures and restrictions of movement to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Mankica Kranjec. Ljubljana, Slovenia Ljubljana, Slovenia

March 12, 2020, 6:00 p.m.: Slovenia closed its borders, and simultaneously, all the shops, restaurants, schools, and other public places closed their doors for an unknown period. The first pandemic wave ended on May 31 after eighty days of continuous lockdown.

The COVID-19 virus changed everything. Fear of the unknown transformed into fear for one’s health. Nobody was safe from the virus, yet everyone tried to stay afloat.

During the first weeks of the pandemic, people became powerless, facing an invisible enemy. Local authorities focused on protecting the people, but people became less tolerant of the government’s new policies as the virus persisted.

Mankica Kranjec. Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Mankica Kranjec. Ljubljana, Slovenia Ljubljana, Slovenia

Matthew Mirabelli. Gharghur, Malta Zejtun, Malta

April 15, 2021: The Archbishop of Malta (center) made his way down a road during a religious procession. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, people were asked to stay inside instead of accompanying the procession.

Matthew Mirabelli. Gharghur, Malta Mosta, Malta

April 9, 2021: A priest walked past the Mosta Dome. Churches were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matthew Mirabelli. Gharghur, Malta Burmarrad, Malta

April 29, 2021: To avoid contracting COVID-19 even while ploughing his field, a farmer wore a protective mask.

Matthew Mirabelli. Gharghur, Malta Valletta, Malta

March 16, 2021: A nun walked through the rainy streets, which were empty due to the pandemic.

Matthew Mirabelli. Gharghur, Malta Paola, Malta

April 4, 2021: A couple sat on the doorstep of their house on Good Friday. The feast, normally celebrated with large processions, was canceled for a second year due to the pandemic.

Mykhaylo Palinchak. Kyiv, Ukraine Kyiv, Ukraine

A photo study “Anamnesis” of the “new normal.” For the full photo essay, please visit: palinchak.com.ua/anamnesis.

Mykhaylo Palinchak. Kyiv, Ukraine Bucha, Ukraine

“Anamnesis” photo study, continued.

Mykhaylo Palinchak. Kyiv, Ukraine Kyiv, Ukraine “Anamnesis” photo study, continued.

Mykhaylo Palinchak. Kyiv, Ukraine Vinnytsia, Ukraine

“Anamnesis” photo study, continued.

Mykhaylo Palinchak. Kyiv, Ukraine Kyiv, Ukraine

“Anamnesis” photo study, continued.

Daniel Rocha. Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon, Portugal (above and opposite) February 3, 2020: Social volunteer services distributed meals to elderly people confined due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 14, 2020: Following the Contingency and Public Calamity Plan in schools, students complied with safety measures and restrictions, including mandatory use of COVID-19 protective masks.

Daniel Rocha. Lisbon, Portugal Sesimbra, Portugal

Daniel Rocha. Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon, Portugal

December 18, 2021: The first day of COVID-19 vaccinations for children between nine and eleven years old.

Daniel Rocha. Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon, Portugal

May 6, 2020: A homeless man ate after receiving food from social volunteer services during the pandemic.

Hristo Rusev. Svilengrad, Bulgaria

Varna, Bulgaria

April 10, 2020: A man disinfected Saint Petka Church to stop the spread of COVID-19. Bulgarian Orthodox temples were open for traditional Palm Sunday and Easter services despite the coronavirus outbreak and Bulgarian authorities’ call for people to stay home.

Hristo Rusev. Svilengrad, Bulgaria Varna, Bulgaria March 29, 2020: Volunteers disinfected weekly in the Roma and Turkish minority neighborhoods of Asparuhovo. Ten young people self-organized to disinfect thirty streets and gave masks to elderly people in the neighborhood to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Hristo Rusev. Svilengrad, Bulgaria Varna, Bulgaria

March 31, 2020: Denislav Popov, on his way to an elderly woman’s house to help her with grocery shopping and other tasks. To help avoid the elderly’s social exclusion during the pandemic, on a daily basis thirty youth volunteers went to the homes of elderly people living alone or experiencing difficulties with daily activities. They assisted with shopping for food and medicine, taking out trash, and other activities. Volunteers were organized by the Municipality of Varna. This volunteer unit was originally designed mostly to assist firefighters in the city. Due to the pandemic, the unit was reorganized to assist the most vulnerable members of society.

Sandra Schildwächter. Frankfurt am Main, Germany Groß-Gerau, Germany

October 2020: A COVID-19 drive-through. People could be tested from their own cars without going inside a medical facility.

Sandra Schildwächter. Frankfurt am Main, Germany Groß-Gerau, Germany

October 2020: A COVID-19 drive-through. People were tested for COVID-19 as contact-free as possible to prevent those with symptoms from visiting a medical facility, and to prevent further infection.

Sandra Schildwächter. Frankfurt am Main, Germany Maintal, Germany

October 2020: A political assembly was held at the municipal swimming pool. COVID-19 restrictions prohibited people from meeting indoors.

Sandra Schildwächter. Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

June 2020: Katharina Hohmann, a twenty-eight-year-old PhD student who was part of the COVID-19-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance project at the Riedberg Campus at the Goethe University, where an international consortium of scientists worked collaboratively to reach a common goal of paving a way for a new drug discovery to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roland Schmid. Basel, Switzerland Riehen, Switzerland

April 18, 2020: A Swiss-German couple met under a plastic ribbon that marked the Swiss-German border, closed during the pandemic.

Roland Schmid. Basel, Switzerland

Riehen, Switzerland

April 25, 2020: On one side of the border lay Sabrina from Basel, Switzerland and on the other, Davor from Wiesbaden, Germany. “Look, we even marked the border on our blanket,” Sabrina laughed. Right under the barrier tape, a black line divided the blanket into two halves. The border closure was an untenable situation for them. Davor traveled three and a half hours to see his girlfriend and drove home that evening.

Roland Schmid. Basel, Switzerland Riehen, Switzerland

Josephina from Arbon, Switzerland and Josef from Singen am Hohentwiel, Germany have been a couple for 30 years. To see each other during the pandemic, they met three times a week at the closed border between Kreuzlingen and Konstanz.

Roland Schmid. Basel, Switzerland

Riehen, Switzerland

April 25, 2020: Everyday life during the pandemic: friends and lovers met at the barrier tape marking the closed border between Switzerland and Germany. Now and then, a helicopter flew by to check from the air whether people were abiding by the rules.

Roland Schmid. Basel, Switzerland Riehen, Switzerland

April 25, 2020: A separated family met at the barrier tape marking the closed Swiss-German border.

Roland Schmid. Basel, Switzerland

Riehen, Switzerland

April 25, 2020: Three friends, Sergio, Sami and David, met for the first time since the pandemic outbreak, settling in on a sunny meadow in Bischoffhöhe on either side of the closed Swiss-German border..

Georges Schneider. Vienna, Austria Vienna, Austria December 4, 2020: Mass rapid antigen COVID-19 tests began in Wiener Stadthalle and other locations. The Austrian Armed Forces conducted the tests. Before Christmas, mass tests were carried out all over Austria. The 18 test lanes available in the Stadthalle allowed up to 20,000 tests a day.

Vienna, Austria

December 27, 2020: As in all European Union countries, medical staff were the first to receive the long-awaited Pfizer vaccinations against COVID-19.

Georges Schneider. Vienna, Austria

Christoph Wenisch, head of the infection department at Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital, who worked every day on the front line with those infected with COVID-19, was the first to be vaccinated. He spontaneously raised his fist after receiving the shot.

Georges Schneider. Vienna, Austria Vienna, Austria

August 11, 2021: The city and Saint Stephen’s Cathedral hosted a vaccination station in the Cathedral’s Saint Barbara Chapel.

Vienna, Austria (above and opposite) November 17, 2020: People stood in front of a closed shop on Mariahilferstrasse as Austria’s second lockdown came into force. During the lockdown, which was expected to last until December 6, all businesses were closed except for grocery stores, pharmacies, drugstores, banks, and a few others deemed essential. The photo on the opposite page shows the crowds two days earlier, lured with a 50% discount on the last shopping day before the lockdown. The discount campaign was hotly debated and condemned by many.

Georges Schneider. Vienna, Austria

NEAR EAST

Reem Alhalal. Manama, Bahrain Bahrain

A child’s hand touched the window as if reaching out to a playground that was close, but so far during the pandemic.

Sami Alramyan. Kuwait

Jaber Hospital, Kuwait

Dr. Issa Larry, general surgeon at Jaber Hospital, worked directly with COVID-19 patients. He experienced difficulties securing appropriate masks due to the shrinking of factory output and some countries stopping their export. In cooperation with Decathlon Company, he supervised the development of a snorkeling mask model with a breathing tube designed and printed with 3D technology and connected with a special air filter, allowing ICU doctors to be close to patients without fear of cross contamination. This innovative solution was approved by Department of Infection Prevention and Sterilization at the Ministry of Health.

Sami Alramyan. Kuwait Kuwait

Saud Alhusaini, a special forces member, saved people’s lives in the medical isolation units and helped them with their daily needs throughout the pandemic quarantine period.

Sami Alramyan. Kuwait Kuwait

Dr. Dana Al Mutawa, a dentist, volunteered at Kuwait Airport in the first weeks of the pandemic to help receive and perform PCR tests on returnees from outside Kuwait.

Sami Alramyan. Kuwait Jaber Hospital, Kuwait

Dr. Omar Al-Qabandi, a general surgeon who worked for five years at the Amiri Hospital, worked directly with COVID-19 patients in the ICU at Jaber Hospital. The Jaber teams called him Omar Al-Bahraini because his Bahraini dialect predominates in his speech. (His father was Kuwaiti and his mother was Bahraini.) He was among tens of thousands of Kuwaiti workers and residents to work at the forefront during the pandemic.

Sami Alramyan. Kuwait Kuwait Abdul Hameed Al Naqi, a computer teacher, and Hussein Al Balushi, a scout member, volunteered in the medical isolation units for returnees from travel during the pandemic.

Sami Jarwan. Amman, Jordan Amman, Jordan

The military forces in Jordan managed the process of delivering bread to people on the second day of the first quarantine.

Sami Jarwan. Amman, Jordan Amman, Jordan

Youth peer out their windows during the lockdown. Youth and children faced hard times during the pandemic and were among the 64% of Jordanians diagnosed with depression because of no activities, no school, and no getting out from only four walls.

Sami Jarwan. Amman, Jordan Amman, Jordan COVID-19 brought people together, especially in unfortunate neighborhoods and Palestinian refugee camps. Families, friends, and neighbors had the chance during the quarantine to spend time with each other.

A student sat next to his home in the village of Hmaid in the east of Jordan and attempted to receive a good internet signal to support his virtual education during the pandemic. Stable internet was rare due to the village’s location between mountains and far from any cities. The Jordan Ministry of Education imposed online education at all the country’s schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two weeks after full quarantine began, authorities allowed people to move only by foot. Soon they started to use bicycles, a new phenomenon and a real, sustainable change that COVID-19 made on the ground.

Salah Malkawi. Amman, Jordan Hmaid, Jordan

Salah Malkawi. Amman, Jordan Baqaa, Jordan April 15, 2020: During the pandemic lockdown, in a small room at the roof of his home in Al Baqaa camp, Jordanian Olympic champion boxer Zeyad Eashash trained online along with four other Olympic boxers and their national coach in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Sami Jarwan. Amman, Jordan Amman, Jordan

After three months of complete shutdown for all Muslim and Christian houses of worship in Jordan, people came back to the churches and mosques, bringing worshippers great pleasure.

An elderly Jordanian villager prepared bread for her family in a traditional way at her home in Mlaih village near Madaba. Sudden government measures closed stores, including bakeries, and restricted people’s movements. Despite the government’s pledge to provide homes with free bread, some logistical mistakes occurred, and basic items for Jordanian tables failed to arrive, causing chaos and intense discontent among the citizens.

Salah Malkawi. Amman, Jordan Amman, Jordan

Salah Malkawi. Amman, Jordan Madaba, Jordan

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA

Saiyna Bashir. Islamabad, Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan

January 8, 2021: Spice seller Jehanzeb Abdul Latif said he didn’t see a huge decline in business at the Empress Market during the early days of the pandemic. The colonial-era market is one of the city’s busiest and most popular.

Husniddin Ato. Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

May 13, 2021: Muslims of Uzbekistan could again celebrate Eid al-Fitr in the Hazrati Imam Complex mosques after celebrating the previous two Eid holidays at home due to the pandemic.

Husniddin Ato. Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

March 31, 2021: After one year of the pandemic, people celebrated Navruz with neighbors, making and sharing the traditional dish halim

Husniddin Ato. Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

February 7, 2021: A shepherd wore a protective mask even as he took his village cows to the field to feed far from the population points.

Saiyna Bashir. Islamabad, Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan March 22, 2020: Women passengers traveled on a bus despite a three-day lockdown due to the pandemic.

Husniddin Ato. Tashkent, Uzbekistan Bukhara, Uzbekistan

July 31, 2021: A woman cleaned the Kalan Mosque. Due to the pandemic, the number of tourists decreased.

Saiyna Bashir. Islamabad, Pakistan Islamabad, Pakistan April 24, 2020: The Imam made sure devotees had their masks on as they entered Jamia Mosque in sector F-8 for Friday prayers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saiyna Bashir. Islamabad, Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan

March 23, 2020: Military patrolled the streets to make sure that citizens abided by a strict curfew imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Afreen Khan. Mumbai, India Mumbai, India

A young boy labored, pushing a cart to sell potatoes.

Dipu Malakar. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh July 28, 2021: After failing to admit his wife, Nasrin Sultana, who was suffering from COVID-19, at two hospitals, Abdur Zahed used a scarf to put her on the back of his motorcycle and took her to a third. The picture was taken on the capital’s Eskaton Garden Road.

Dipu Malakar. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh May 11, 2021: In Dhanmondi, Persona Beauty Parlor restarted operations and maintained new health guidelines after a long closure due to the pandemic.

Dipu Malakar. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh April 30, 2021: Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) emergency unit.

Dipu Malakar. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh

April 26, 2021: An employee of a private gas supply company supplied liquid oxygen to the Mudga General Hospital’s cold storage as demand for oxygen skyrocketed for COVID-19 patients.

Dipu Malakar. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh

January 4, 2020: Residents of Shankhari Bazar spent time on the rooftops of their houses during the countrywide lockdown.

Plight for Equality

Broken grass, sound of sirens, the wish wash of the fighter jets leaving behind tars

Army, medal-adorned warriors; blood, like shields of surrender- they are but shining stars.

Protecting land, blurred in the night-view; they take back what ought to be theirs.

How would it be, to live in a land without borders? Religions, nationalities- together, under one big retainer?

If I feel your pain just the way I do mine, and I seek justice just so you have a better life;

If the world isn’t divided by me, you and the color blue, then can we stand tall like a Lego brick-wall, or is that too good to be true?

A world of acceptance is what I wish to achieve. No judgement, irrespective of gender, irrespective of creed.

A world where I can wear my burkha, my skirt, or my upside-down frown.

I walk by in the middle of the night; I can be any color: white, black or brown.

Let us initiate and build that world together, turn storms sweeter, sunsets glorious.

With little leaves of togetherness, petals of kindness, mountains of diversity, be open and be courageous.

I can see that new world right there, within your reach and mine. Tied up together, to be stronger with time.

Our utopian world CAN become our reality. All we need to do is fight for justice, peace and equality.

The future is feminist, thriving in bright red and bold.

It is intersectional, like a pleat woven together by activists and advocates, and it’s yours to behold.

Let genders be neutral, let lives be precious.

Let you and me together build just futures.

Syeda Samara Mortada. Dhaka, Bangladesh

“Plight for Equality,” a poem, was inspired by the IVLP, A Global Moment in Time: Peace and Justice. The discussions, and the global connections made as a result of being an IVLP participant helped her dream of a world that can be built together, free of injustices and inequality.

Daniyar Mussirov. Almaty, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan

Behind a tight circle of security forces, activists honored the memory of Zhanaozen protesters killed by police on Independence Day of Republic of Kazakhstan. Nine years later, the exact number of victims was still unknown.

Daniyar Mussirov. Almaty, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan

During the pandemic, a mobile palliative care team helped an elderly bedridden woman in the last stage of cancer who was paralyzed on one side.

The park was closed on Victory Day, and only a few veterans were allowed access to the Eternal Flame and monument in memory of those killed during World War II.

Daniyar Mussirov. Almaty, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan

Ambulance workers brought in a patient with COVID-19.

Daniyar Mussirov. Almaty, Kazakhstan

Almaty, Kazakhstan

A woman held a picture of poet and dissident, Aron Atabek, who died of COVID-19 weeks after his release from prison where he had spent 15 years for his involvement in the Shanyrak riots.

Daniyar Mussirov. Almaty, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan

Mahmud Hossain Opu. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh

August 6, 2021: A patient suspected of having COVID-19 waited to be taken to the emergency unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

Mahmud Hossain Opu. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh April 11, 2020: Workers wearing personal protective equipment carried the body of a COVID-19 victim to Khilgaon-Taltola Graveyard.

Mahmud Hossain Opu. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh.

April 1, 2021: Medical workers wearing personal protective equipment cared for a patient suffering from COVID-19 at the ICU.

Mahmud Hossain Opu. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh

April 2, 2020: Empty chairs inside a school in Bangla Bazar during the pandemic lockdown.

Mahmud Hossain Opu. Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh

March 31, 2020: Dhaka looked deserted during the pandemic lockdown.

Danil Usmanov, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Volunteer Almanbet Yrysaliev used a manual resuscitator to provide air to an elderly man whose blood oxygen saturation decreased while being taken to the hospital. Many hospitals were already full.

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

Ernesto Benavides. Lima, Peru Lima, Peru

December 21, 2021: A woman sunbathed at a popular beach. Lima had the highest COVID-19 mortality rate in the world in relation to its population. Authorities cordoned off spaces on the sand to prevent crowds of bathers amid a resurgence of the pandemic.

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil Caxias do Sul, Brazil

May 13, 2020: An employee wearing protective gear disinfected a shopping mall as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil

Porto Alegre, Brazil

May 29, 2020: People wore protective masks during Mass at the Nossa Senhora das Dores Church. Four days earlier, the city eased measures against the spread of COVID-19, allowing religious sites to receive worshippers as long as social distances were respected.

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil

Porto Alegre, Brazil

April 15, 2020: Doctors working with COVID-19 patients wore face shields at the Hospital de Clínicas ICU. Brazil’s far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, condemned the “hysteria” and encouraged citizens to ignore health officials’ warnings to stay home. Predictions for how the pandemic would play out in the hardest-hit country in Latin America were becoming dire.

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil

Porto Alegre, Brazil

August 13, 2020: A COVID-19 patient was treated at Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital ICU. The ICU occupancy by COVID-19 patients reached the highest mark since the beginning of the pandemic.

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil São Leopoldo, Brazil

April, 16, 2021: A patient used new noninvasive technology that could reduce the need of intubation at Centenario Hospital, Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. The individually controlled breathing bubble was impermeable, transparent, sealed, and an inflatable bubble had respiratory connections that allowed pulmonary oxygenation, reducing the COVID-19 patient’s effort without the need for sedation.

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil Porto Alegre, Brazil

March 26, 2021: Cemetery workers carried a coffin for the burial of a COVID-19 victim at the São João Municipal Cemetery.

Silvio Avila. Porto Alegre, Brazil

Porto Alegre, Brazil

March 11, 2021: Health workers cared for COVID-19 patients in the emergency room of the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Hospital. The state of Rio Grande do Sul had just imposed severe restrictions due to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases.

Bonnie Beard. Delmar, New York, United States Delmar, New York, United States

May 3, 2020: When COVID anxiety forced our daughter, a single parent and frontline nurse, to relinquish full-time care of her only child to us for two months, I made this journal entry: We walked in the park with Mama today. Tonight in bed, your plaintive voice asked, “How will we know when the sickness is gone if we can’t see it? How will they know when it will be safe for my mom to touch me?”

After fifty-eight days without a touch or caress, the bubble of isolation burst as emotion propelled mother and daughter toward each other, erupting in a gush of tears, laughter, and pure joy! COVID anxiety had forced our daughter, a single parent and frontline nurse, to relinquish full-time care of her only child to us for two months.

Bonnie Beard. Delmar, New York, United States

Delmar, New York, United States

Bonnie Beard. Delmar, New York, United States Delmar, New York, United States

Painted rocks lined the sidewalks, free for passersby, reminding them that they were not alone.

Ernesto Benavides. Lima, Peru

Piura, Peru

October 18, 2021: Isabel Acuña, reflected in the mirror in her house in the Morropón province of Piura, posed for a picture next to a banner with a picture of her father-in-law, Martin Huiman, who died due to COVID-19. This country with the highest global fatality rate from the disease was preparing for an eventual third wave.

Ernesto Benavides. Lima, Peru Lima, Peru

February 25, 2021: Relatives of COVID-19 patients were desperate for oxygen to keep their loved ones alive during a fierce second wave of the pandemic. They camped, waiting to refill empty oxygen cylinders in Villa El Salvador, on the southern outskirts of the city.

Lima, Peru

Ernesto Benavides. Lima, Peru

September 10, 2020: Doctors made a round of visits in Ate, on the eastern outskirts of the city, amid the pandemic. Rapid response teams of the Ministry of Health were composed of Peruvian and Venezuelan doctors who visited potential and recovering COVID-19 patients at their homes to take quick tests, make diagnoses, and distribute medicines.

Ernesto Benavides. Lima, Peru Lima, Peru May 30, 2020: At Nueva Esperanza in Lima’s southern outskirts, one of the largest cemeteries in Latin America, relatives carried the coffin of a suspected COVID-19 victim.

Ernesto Benavides. Lima, Peru Lima, Peru

June 25, 2020: Venezuelan Wilmer Hernandez, age forty-four, breathed from an oxygen tank in his room in the Villa Maria del Triunfo neighborhood. Fourteen members of the Hernandez family arrived in Peru from Venezuela two years before, but COVID-19 put their hopes for a better life in check. The grandfather died, and the other thirteen were trying to survive the disease.

Roman Camacho. Caracas, Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela

A spiritist performed a healing ritual on a COVID-19-infected woman.

Roman Camacho. Caracas, Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela

A National Anti-Extortion and Kidnapping Task Force member stood next to a civilian, both wearing masks.

Roman Camacho. Caracas, Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela

Special Actions Forces of the National Police carried out police deployment.

Roman Camacho. Caracas, Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela June 12, 2021: A sheet covered the dead body of a man hit by a bullet during a confrontation between criminal gangs and police. On that day, fourteen people died in Venezuela due to COVID-19. In the police operation in La Vega neighborhood, thirty-three people died, including civilians and criminal gang members.

Roman Camacho. Caracas, Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela

People wearing face masks walked in front of graffiti of a man covering his face with a jacket.

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay Asunción, Paraguay

A woman performed with fire at a protest in the Plaza de la Democracia. She was taking part in 8M marches for women rights. Several groups of women marched through the streets, demanding an end to femicides and domestic violence cases, which increased during the pandemic.

Blanca Benegas made chipas (traditional Paraguayan bread) and sold them during Holy Week. That was how she managed to support her family after she lost her job during the lockdown. Many women were similarly impacted and had to find alternative ways to survive.

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay Luque, Paraguay

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay Mariano Roque Alonso, Paraguay

An unidentified person riding a motorcycle wore a mask with a smile drawing. Mandatory use of masks was a protection measure against the spread of COVID-19.

The burial of Paraguayan journalist, Martin Ariel Cantero. He was a victim of COVID-19 and left behind a widow and four children. Despite prevention measures, the Journalism Guild was also affected by this disease due to the lack of adequate health services and vaccines.

A woman cooked in a large pot over a wood fire in Bañado Sur. Called “popular pots,” they fed the poorest population who were left without work in the peripheral areas of the city due to COVID-19. Ingredients were donated by anonymous people every day. Each “popular pot” fed at least 200 people.

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay Limpio, Paraguay

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay Asunción, Paraguay

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay

San Lorenzo, Paraguay

Lujan Cabanas, forty weeks pregnant and in labor, received support from a doctor at the Calle’i Hospital. She delivered her first child, named Anahi. The lack of an adequate health care system in this country affected pregnant women who had to deliver babies in harsh conditions.

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay San Lorenzo, Paraguay Baby Anahi received care after being born at the Calle’i Hospital.

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay

Asunción, Paraguay

Groom Raul Benitez and bride Jenny Bonet wore protective face masks as they kissed during their wedding ceremony at the Civil Registry office. Their marriage was the first authorized wedding during the pandemic lockdown. Jenny was eight months pregnant at the moment of the ceremony.

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay Asunción, Paraguay

A nurse provided healthcare to a patient hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Ineram Hospital ICU. According to local press, only 12,000 nurses, the majority of them female, serve the country’s population of more than seven million.

Indigenous women from the Nivaclé community performed a ritual under a samu’u tree (ceiba chodatii) praying for the end of the pandemic. The lockdown left several indigenous families without work so they did not have enough food or money to buy basic medicines or protective masks. They lived in the San Jose Estero community, 540 kilometers away from the capital in the Paraguayan Chaco.

Marta Escurra. Asunción, Paraguay

San Jose Estero, Chaco, Paraguay

Brittany Lynk. Washington, DC, United States Los Angeles, California, United States

March 2020: Jalila Haider of Pakistan, a 2020 International Women of Courage awardee, in The Last Bookstore of Los Angeles as COVID-19 spread throughout the world. Airports began closing and groups of international visitors in the United States, traveling on the International Visitor Leadership Program, had to leave the country. In the tense days after programming had been canceled and before her flight left, Jalila found the famous The Last Bookstore in downtown for some solace surrounded by the things that made her feel safest—books.

Brittany Lynk. Washington, DC, United States Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

August 2020: A remembrance for George Floyd, who was killed on May 25, 2020, by a Minneapolis police officer, which sparked protests and action around the world to fight for justice around systemic racism. A memorial and mural grew organically to honor George Floyd and all others who have been wrongfully killed by police.

Brittany Lynk. Washington, DC, United States Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota, United States

August 2020: During the pandemic, skyrocketing numbers of campers escaped to the million-acre protected Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness between northern Minnesota and Canada, a magical getaway with crystalline waters.

Eric Melzer. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Protesters faced off with police outside the Third Precinct two days after George Floyd was murdered.

Eric Melzer. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

A protester poured milk on the face of another protester to ease the burn of tear gas fired by the police outside the Third Precinct two days after George Floyd was murdered.

Eric Melzer. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Arsonists burned the Atlas Staffing business one block from the Fifth Precinct of the Police Department after George Floyd was murdered.

Eric Melzer. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

A passerby scanned the buildings that were burned a half-block from the Police Department’s Third Precinct after George Floyd was murdered.

Eric Melzer. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Protesters walked past George Floyd’s faux grave erected as part of a faux graveyard, highlighting the names of Black Americans killed by American police officers. The gathering happened one block from George Floyd Square, following the guilty verdict of former police officer Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd.

Irvin Ngariman. Wanica, Suriname Paramaribo, Suriname June 19, 2020: A boy helps carry food supply for his mother. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing distributed COVID-19 support packages to people with disabilities, seniors, and socially vulnerable households.

Irvin Ngariman. Wanica, Suriname

Paramaribo, Suriname

September 29, 2020: The newly elected president of the Republic of Suriname delivered his annual speech in an extraordinary public meeting of the National Assembly (DNA), held outdoors to comply with COVID-19 protocols.

Irvin Ngariman. Wanica, Suriname Paramaribo, Suriname Activist Siebrano Pique (in camouflage) was arrested by Surinamese police during a demonstration against the Suriname government. He was arrested because he did not have a permit from the district commissioner to conduct a street protest. Many people objected to the arrest and tempers flared.

Irvin Ngariman. Wanica, Suriname Sipaliwini District, Suriname

January 9, 2021: COVID-19 awareness at the Maroon Community in Atjoni where face masks and hand sanitizers were distributed to local residents who had to travel by boat.

Irvin Ngariman. Wanica, Suriname Paramaribo, Suriname May 20, 2021: Hundreds of people took to the streets in the Surinamese capital to protest the economic situation in the country. The protest was initiated by the Surinamese police union, who wanted a higher salary and better working conditions, but was used by various groups to express dissatisfaction with the government.

A man received his COVID-19 vaccine, the best bet for staying safe as the pandemic continued. Billions of people worldwide were vaccinated, and the evidence is overwhelming that the vaccines offered life-saving protection against a disease that had killed millions.

Aubrey Odle. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana

Aubrey Odle. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana

The pandemic caused massive changes to daily life. The adjustments came with a wide range of experiences and emotions.

Aubrey Odle. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana

No one wanted to end up a patient in the Ocean View Infectious Disease Hospital ICU.

Aubrey Odle. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana

Though COVID-19 cases were on the rise, citizens were still going about their daily lives.

Natalia Pedraza Bravo. Bogotá, Colombia Guasca, Colombia.

A caretaker watches Bambi, an Andean bear rescued from a circus where she suffered mutilations that prevented her from returning to her natural habitat. During the pandemic the sanctuary where she and eight other bears lived ran out of funding and their caretaker had to ask for donations to feed them.

In addition to treating COVID-19 victims during the pandemic, doctors also had to also attend to hundreds wounded in the 2021 national strike demonstrations. According to the Institute for Development and Peace (Indepaz), more than eighty people died in the clashes; most were victims of police abuse.

Natalia Pedraza Bravo. Bogotá, Colombia Bogotá, Colombia

March 8, 2021: More than 10,000 women gathered in the city center to mark International Women’s Day and raise awareness on gender-based violence. After lockdown confinement, the Attorney General’s Office reported an 8.6% increase in femicides in the country, and the “Fundación Feminicidios Colombia” registered 98,999 cases of gender violence in 2020 alone.

A girl wore a mask at school, returning to class after sixteen months at home. For hundreds of children in Colombia, confinement during the pandemic meant a loss of academic and social skills, as well as a lack of nutrition because the schools were the only place that guaranteed them daily food.

Natalia Pedraza Bravo. Bogotá, Colombia

Bogotá, Colombia

Natalia Pedraza Bravo. Bogotá, Colombia Bogotá, Colombia

Natalia Pedraza Bravo. Bogotá, Colombia

Bogotá, Colombia

February 2021: People over age eighty were the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; a woman with a syringe mask was vaccinated against COVID-19.

Mauro Pimentel. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

July 12, 2020: Brazilian accountant Tercio Galdino, age sixty-six, gave the thumbs up to people riding a motorcycle as he and his wife Alicea Galdino walked along Leme beach in protective suits. Tercio, who had a chronic lung disease, made the protective suits at home using suits used by health professionals. He said that in addition to giving him protection against COVID-19, he also enjoyed looking like an astronaut, as he had a huge interest in outer space.

Mauro Pimentel. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Jose Nunes Passagem, age ninety-five, made a toast with health professionals of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Public Clinic who had come to his home to give him his Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine as part of a program for elderly and disabled people who could not get to a vaccination center amid the pandemic.

Mauro Pimentel. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April 30, 2021: A gravedigger stood on a bag with human remains as he worked to exhume a body buried over three years ago to open the area for new burial at the São Franciso Xavier Cemetery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mauro Pimentel. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

May 14, 2020: Residents of the public shelter Stella Maris in the Ilha do Governador neighborhood waited and respected social distancing while Brazil’s Armed Forces soldiers disinfected the shelter as a measure to combat the outbreak of COVID-19.

Mauro Pimentel. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

January 20, 2021: Guarani indigenous Vilmar Vilharves posed after being inoculated with the Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac against COVID-19 at the Sao Mata Verde Bonita tribe camp in the Guarani indigenous land in the city of Marica.

Mary Sauerborn. Washington, DC, United States Washington, DC, United States

November 7, 2020: The results of the U.S. presidential election were finally announced and Washington, DC, erupted into celebration as hundreds flocked to Black Lives Matter Plaza in front of the White House. A man waved an American flag and LGBT Pride flag as the sun set over the crowd.

Mary Sauerborn. Washington, DC, United States Washington, DC, United States

Summer 2020: The death of George Floyd at the hands of police sparked a wave of social justice protests throughout the U.S. Protesters gathered in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church in the newly designated Black Lives Matter Plaza to make their voices heard.

Mary Sauerborn. Washington, DC, United States Washington, DC, United States

Summer 2020: Thousands of Americans across the nation took part in racial justice protests in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. In a fence circling the White House, 8 minutes and 46 seconds was outlined with neon flagging, along with the haunting question, “How many aren’t filmed?”

Jennifer Strauss. Park City, Utah, United States Park City, Utah, United States

To encourage people to wear masks, statues around town were outfitted with masks as well.

Jennifer Strauss. Park City, Utah, United States Park City, Utah, United States

I made masks with filters for my daughter and her colleagues who work in a skilled nursing facility that was badly impacted by COVID-19 in the early months of the pandemic. They didn’t have enough supplied PPE (personal protection equipment).

Romina Toro. Asunción, Paraguay Paraguay Vaccinators traveled great distances on foot to immunize members of different communities.

Daniele Volpe. Guatemala City, Guatemala Guatemala City, Guatemala

March 26, 2020: Homeless people gathered in an abandoned downtown house where they took shelter at night. On March 22, the government set a curfew from 4:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. and set up two shelters for the homeless during the curfew. But two were not enough and many homeless, especially the young, preferred to seek alternative solutions. The first case of COVID-19 in Guatemala was detected on March 13th. On March 15, the first COVID-19 death in Central America was recorded in Guatemala City.

Daniele Volpe. Guatemala City, Guatemala

Guatemala City, Guatemala

July 1, 2020: Outside La Verbena cemetery, relatives paid a final tribute to a loved one who died due to COVID-19. They were not permitted to enter the cemetery because it was the main place for COVID-19 death burials.

Daniele Volpe. Guatemala City, Guatemala

Guatemala City, Guatemala

June 8, 2020: An elderly woman was carried by a relative to a COVID-19 facility at San Juan de Dios Hospital.

Daniele Volpe. Guatemala City, Guatemala

Guatemala City, Guatemala Daily life around San Juan de Dios Hospital, the main city hospital that attended to COVID-19 cases.

Delano Williams. Georgetown, Guyana

Georgetown, Guyana

Homeless people slept in front of an abandoned Ministry of Health building.

Delano Williams. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana “Our Body, Our Choice” protest.

Delano Williams. Georgetown, Guyana

Rosignol, Guyana

Children gathered together to socialize during Christmas in the ghetto.

Delano Williams. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana

Homeless people were without masks in the most impoverished areas.

Delano Williams. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana

COVID-19 records were checked by security at a supermarket entrance.

Delano Williams. Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown, Guyana

The Minister of Education and other government officials watched as a high school student received a COVID-19 vaccine from a nurse in a local school.

Delano Williams. Georgetown, Guyana Parika, Guyana Farmers worked as usual without masks during the pandemic, off-loading pineapples to sell at the market.

Peace & Justice: a detective´s mission.

Every day we hear on the news powerful words and concepts, such as equality, woman empowerment, com monwealth, peace, justice, etc. Words that can´t become a reality without people putting their efforts on making them into something real, something that people can live and enjoy.

As a police officer and a detective from Policía de Investigaciones de Chile, I have seen and hear the suffering from my society. One of them is related to Irregular Adoptions/Child Abduction, crimes that hap pened from the sixties to the year 2002, where children were taken from Chile to other countries around the world, without their mother´s knowledge. These in vestigations started in 2019, and the quantity of cases increases every day with more than 700 cases being in vestigated. We receive new overseas victims who want to know the truth behind their “adoptions” as well as mothers and families who hope to find their lost loved ones. These investigations are being led by six detec tives, members of the Investigative Brigade of Crimes Against Human Rights, myself being one of them.

Sadly, a big problem we had to face during our in vestigations was the social outbreak that affected our country back on October 18, 2019, and a few months later, the so known pandemic COVID-19.

Talking to people, sharing time with the complain ers, with the victims and their families, is a very import ant matter because we are not only detectives looking for information to solve a crime but also the ones who they can rely on. We are the ones holding their tears

while listening to their stories. We are the ones who will try day by day to give them the truth behind their suffering. But because of COVID-19, we couldn´t do this as we wanted. Health is always a priority, so we had to adjust our work method to the new reality created due to this pandemic. Traveling around the country to contact people involved in the cases wasn’t an option. Phone calls didn’t work all the time. It was difficult to visit public places to search for information because everything was closed and hospitals especially were having a hard time with all the patients arriving for emergencies.

Even with all those problems, we gave all our ef forts, and we could continue the investigations with the tools we could get. We could solve some cases, reveal ing the truth to the families through our police reports sent to the Minister in charge of these investigations in the Corte de Apelaciones de Santiago. We could es tablish who were the ones behind these crimes, and we could reunite families that were unfairly separated. Even when COVID-19 doesn´t allow international trav els, technology has been a very important tool to con tact people.

We are still investigating these crimes, and we hope that one day COVID-19 will be controlled, and we can be allowed to share with people as we used to do, because we are all human beings, we all have feelings, we all need to know the truth, and we all deserve the truth.

I´m a detective. I´m an Agent of Peace. I´m an Agent of Justice, and not even a pandemic can stop me or the other detectives from bringing the truth to people.

Gabriela Yañez Surriba. Providencia, Chile

PARTICIPANT THANK YOU

To our Global Moment in Time participants

Thank you! We extend our gratitude for the time and effort you each contributed to the “A Global Moment in Time” IVLP initiative. The knowledge and experiences you shared speak to the humanity common to us all. We hope this photobook serves as a reminder of the collective global effort to overcome the societal challenges we all face in seeking to create a more peaceful world for all.

Office of International Vistors

”Team OIV”

AFTERWORD

More than two years into the global pandemic, the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, even as vaccines are deployed worldwide and virus variants are mitigated. As nations closed their borders in early 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, international exchange and public diplomacy became more challenging than ever, while also becoming even more critical. The global health emergency and reverberating crisis underscored the importance of strengthening international engagement and cooperation. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) developed “A Global Moment in Time,” an initiative to bring together changemakers from around the world to promote mutual understanding and discuss ways to address global issues. This initiative is a testament to the international spirit of cooperation, which has grown stronger in response to the unprecedented and unpredictable difficulties of the early years of this decade. We hope the legacy of this era will not be defined solely by the immense suffering brought on by COVID-19, but also by how people around the world demonstrated strength, determination, and creativity to focus on our shared concerns. The leaders featured in these pages have drawn upon discussions with their American counterparts and each other to continue to serve as global leaders to shape a more peaceful, just, and inclusive future.

This publication is a tribute to them, and it serves as a reminder of our collective humanity and resilience.

Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs - U.S. Department of State

The views expressed by the IVLP participants and other contributors in this book are their own and not necessarily those of the U.S. Government.