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People and Culture

BallerinasTwo young girls stretch during their ballet class at the State Ballet School in Skopje, the capital of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The State Ballet had its first performance on 27 January 1949 and has since then established itself as the most important institute for classic and contemporary dance in the country. Today, the ensemble consists of 21 full-time and 9 part-time dancers. With performances such as the “Swan Lake” and parts of “La Sylphide”, they are a regular guest abroad, performing among others in Milan, Italy." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Ballerinas

Title: Ballerinas
Location: the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
© Ivan Blazhev, 2008

Blue TrainA man travelling in the once famous official train of Josip Broz Tito, the founder and later President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Built in 1956, the "Blue Train" was named after the colour of its 29 coaches. It still retains the original fittings and furnishings. Famous users of the train included among others Leonid Brezhnev, Yasser Arafat and India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The Blue Train was last used for official purposes in 1980. Today, it offers tourists an opportunity to experience communist-style splendour from a bygone era. The train takes passengers on a five hour journey from Belgrade to Vrnjacka Banja, some 130 miles south-east of the Serbian capital." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Blue Train

Title: Blue Train
Location: Serbia
© Marko Stamatovic, 2009

Boys and bread down the streetIn 2009, a team of scientists were conducting archaeological research in the province of Mersin in Southern Turkey. The boys in this photo used to follow the researchers, intrigued by their archaeological work. The picture shows the boys in their father’s bakery, and was taken just after the photographer had asked them: “How much do you love your brother?”" rel="lightbox[lb]"> Boys and bread down the street

Title: Boys and bread down the street
Location: Turkey
© Tuna Akçay, 2009

CelebrationFireworks light the sky on New Year's Eve in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, in northern Serbia. The “Name of Mary Church” dominates the skyline of the city. The church – built on the relics of an old Roman Catholic church – was constructed in 1894 and is a three-nave building, with gothic arches. Its altar is made of carved wood from Tyrol, Austria and the stained glass windows come originally from Budapest. Locals refer to the church simply as the "Catholic Cathedral"." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Celebration

Title: Celebration
Location: Serbia
© Bojan Hohnjec, 2008

Coming HomeA father returns home after playing in a local brass orchestra on the island of Krk, Croatia. His twin daughters are waiting for his arrival in front of the house, enjoying their school holiday.
Krk, a popular tourist destination, is located in the northern Adriatic Sea, near the town of Rijeka." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Coming home

Title: Coming home
Location: Croatia
© Bojan Bonifacic, 2003

DonationThis photo depicts a brief moment of exchange between a local and a seagull in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The inhabitant throws the bird a piece of bread from the window.
Dubrovnik lies on the Adriatic coast in the south of Dalmatia. The city was included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage in 1979. Having been regenerated after the war, it is currently a major tourist destination, popular amongst Croatian and foreign tourists alike." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Donation

Title: Donation
Location: Croatia
© Pascal Nitkowski, 2006

Dreaming of the OlympicsA young boy in boxing gloves poses for the photographer in Southern Turkey. As part of a project initiated by the Turkish Boxing Federation, deprived children are offered free training that helps them fulfil their potential as sportsmen.
Turkey has so far won a total of 82 medals in the Olympic Games. However, it has never won a gold medal in boxing." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Dreaming of the Olympics

Title: Dreaming of the Olympics
Location: Turkey
© Abdurrahman Antakyali, 2008

Everyday lifeThis montage shows everyday life in a typical socialist style building in Novi Sad, Serbia. The photos were taken between 2007 and 2009.
These kind of high-rise buildings made of precast concrete slabs can be seen in all countries of the former Eastern bloc. During the socialist period, new blocks with wide streets and multi-story buildings were built around the city core. In Novi Sad, however, the total number of buildings with over 10 floors remained at 40-50. Most others are 3-6 floor apartment buildings." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Everyday life

Title: Everyday life
Location: Serbia
© Branko Stojanovic, 2008-2009

FerryTwo strangers sit back to back on a ferry between Istanbul's Asian and European shores, with one of the many marvellous sights of the city in the background.
With a population of approximately 12 million, Istanbul is the largest city of Turkey. It is a leading port whose importance is marked by the age-old trade routes that pass through the Bosphorus.
Istanbul is one of the European Capitals of Culture in 2010." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Ferry

Title: Ferry
Location: Turkey
© Uygar Taylan, 2009

Free timeA Roma child plays football in the context of a project initiated in 2005 by the governorship and the local police department of Edirne, Western Thrace, in the westernmost part of Turkey.
There are records according to which Roma people have lived in Anatolia as far back as in the 9th century. Over the past 10 years, they have established associations in many towns and districts in Turkey.
In this specific project 400 Roma children are enrolled." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Free time

Title: Free time
Location: Turkey
© Selman Esturkler, 2008

GenerationsIn the mountains of north-eastern Albania, several generations of families can still live under one roof on the basis of an ancient common law known as Kanun. This customary set of laws is passed down through generations, and was codified by Prince Lekë Dukagjini in the 15th century.
The Kanun is based on life in an extended family, which is usually led by the oldest man of the household. The Kanun regulates a broad variety of customs including marriage, inheritance and criminal law.
This triptych pays tribute to the tradition by depicting various generations of people living under the same roof." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Generations

Title: Generations
Location: Albania
© Orestia Kapidani, 2008

Girl playing the violinA girl playing the violin at the Istanbul University State Conservatory in Kadiköy, Turkey. The university is one of the oldest educational institutions in the country, with over 69.000 enrolled students.
The Conservatory was established in 1914 during Ottoman reign as the first official school of music in Turkey. It was later developed to include also theatre, ballet, and opera. The Conservatory has continuously provided artists for the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra and the State Opera and Ballet. As in every metropolis around the world, classical music flourishes in Istanbul." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Girl playing the violin

Title: Girl playing the violin
Location: Turkey
© Aga Luczakowska, 2008

HobbyA young man practices his favourite sport, basketball, in the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the Western Balkans, with teams from Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, regularly participating in European and World Cups. Serbia (at the time, Serbia and Montenegro) won gold in the 2002 FIBA World Championship while also coming second in the Eurobasket 2009." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Hobby

Title: Hobby
Location: Serbia
© Akos Horvath, 2009

MetropolisAn everyday scene in Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey. The city has a population of approximately 12 million residents and is one of the largest cities in the world. With an amazing seaside setting, a vibrant urban life that combines traditional and contemporary Western lifestyle, as well as ancient and modern architecture, Istanbul is probably one of the most fascinating cities in the world." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Metropolis

Title: Metropolis
Location: Turkey
© Francesco Di Pierro, 2010

MultikultiThis picture shows two girls having fun on a spring afternoon in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The country's two major religions are Orthodox Christianity and Islam. Some 65 percent of the population is Orthodox, while almost one third is Muslim. Other religious groups in the country include Roman Catholics, various Protestant denominations, and Jews." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Multikulti

Title: Multikulti
Location: the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
© Josef Hinterleitner, 2009

Music in the CircleThis picture was taken during the rehearsals of the Kosovo* Philharmonics Choir, which consists of fifty singers. The choir led by the composer Rafet Rudi was performing a piece called "Music in the Circle", arranged by Mendi Mengjiqi, a composer from Kosovo.
The circle motive is not only visible in the line-up, but is also repeated on the printed notes in the choir’s hands." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Music in the Circle

Title: Music in the Circle
Location: Kosovo*
© Donika Rudi, 2008

Monument to the SunThis photograph was taken at the "Monument to the Sun" on the Adriatic coast in Zadar, Croatia. The Monument To the Sun is sometimes described as the greatest achievement of contemporary Croatian art and architecture. It was built in 2008 and designed by architect Nikola Bašić. The large art installation consists of 300 solar plates incorporated in a stone quay in the shape of a circle. It represents a superb addition to the coastal ambience of the city, where the sea dominates the panorama." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Monument to the Sun

Title: Monument to the Sun
Location: Croatia
© Ivo Dukic, 2009

Point on the pianoA ballerina practices soft dance steps on a piano in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Since the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the importance of art has gained a new dimension. Initiated not least by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first President of the Turkish Republic, many talented young people were given the opportunity to go to Western Europe for professional training. Many of them later returned to Turkey as teachers of music and performing arts." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Point on the piano

Title: Point on the piano
Location: Turkey
© Uygar Taylan, 2006

Small talkA Serbian and a Croatian water polo player relaxing after a match in Rovinj, Croatia. Water polo is an extremely popular sport in both countries. The Serbian men's national water polo team holds a record for most European championships won in a row (in 2001, 2003, and 2006) and was also very successful at the last three Olympic Games, winning silver and bronze medals. Team sports are generally very popular in Serbia, with most state investment put into basketball, football, water polo, volleyball and more recently, tennis." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Small talk

Title: Small talk
Location: Croatia
© Nikola Lučić, 2009

SolitudeA woman sits in a mosque in Edirne, Turkey, in front of an Arabic sign that says “Mohammed”. Turkey is a secular state, where a vast majority of citizens are Muslims. One of the aims of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first President of modern Turkey in the 1920s, was to modernise life in his country. In his programme of modernisation, a secular government and improvements in education played a major role." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Solitude

Title: Solitude
Location: Turkey
© Arzu Dogru, 2008

SplashRoma children have fun in a pool in a settlement under the Gazela Bridge in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. First recorded in the 14th century, the Roma community represents some 1.4% of the population in Serbia. Roma culture is a vibrant part of the culture of the Western Balkans, especially when it comes to music. One traditional and spectacular genre of their music is the brass band, which is especially popular within Serbia. Notable practitioners, such as the Boban and Marko Marković Orchestra regularly tour across Europe giving music lovers a taste of their attractive sounds." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Splash

Title: Splash
Location: Serbia
© Sanja Knezevic, 2009

SunsetSunset in Kragujevac, central Serbia. The first railroad in this part of Serbia is covered with the light of a beautiful autumn sunset. Kragujevac, the fourth largest city in Serbia, is also proclaimed as the “city of the future”. It has recently become a regional economic, banking, cultural, commercial and sporting centre, attracting more and more investors." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Sunset

Title: Sunset
Location: Serbia
© Marko Stamatovic, 2009

Traditional fishingPodgorica, the capital of Montenegro. Lake Skadar is located on the border of Montenegro and Albania and is the largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula. It is also one of the largest bird reserves in Europe, with some 270 bird species, among which are some of the last pelicans in Europe. A rich habitat of fish, particularly carp, bleak and eel, makes the lake an ideal place for fishing. Traditional fishing tools including rods, tackle and throw nets are still used in the area." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Traditional fishing

Title: Traditional fishing
Location: Montenegro
© Dusko Miljanic, 2007

Winter timeThis picture expresses the different time dimensions we live in today. While a train passes by carrying passengers who try to save time, a shepherd is slowly leading his flock using a traditional method that has not changed in centuries. The photo is an homage to the beauty of parallel worlds." rel="lightbox[lb]"> Winter time

Title: Winter time
Location: Turkey
© Cüneyt Çelik, 2008



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