New year’s night, January 1, 2017 This girl had come out of Eastern Aleppo after four dark years of occupation by Western-backed terrorists – too many to name. People who for no reason had destroyed her home, her part of that beautiful city. Perhaps half of her life living in fear, perhaps having lost family members. I do not know. I met her on December 14 at the Jibrin reception and registration centre in Western Aleppo where Syrian soldiers and volunteers from Aleppo University had just given her this bread with some vegetables inside. She was one of thousands, old and young people who had been hit by unspeakable evil, death and destruction. Victims of the dozens of conflicting parties and their criminal games. Destroying her life, her family, livelihood and her home town. Of which there is nothing left. Nothing. It was a rainy gray day. She was in a queue to get this little and she was so very grateful. So hopeful. A little to eat to begin all over again. Her standing there, her gesture. And the media tell you that Eastern Aleppo fell, that it wasn’t liberated? Ask this girl. Grasp her gratitude for what little most of the world take for granted. And those eyes. I could not hold back tears in mine when I shot this image. Neither while I returned to process it and now writing this. • I’m a peace researcher and art photographer. The […]

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