Bosnian Photo Fest Crosses Ethnic Divide

Described by its organizers as a celebration of friendship, the Photography of the Year BiH Festival is opening in Sarajevo's iconic City Hall on Friday.

It is expected to draw numerous photographers and enthusiasts from across the region and beyond.

Bosnian photographer Haris Calkic, the founder of the project, told Balkan Insight that the festival, initiated in 2010, was open to all participants from the region.

Each year it has drawn contenders from Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and other Balkan countries, as well as people from other countries such as Italy, Iran, Austria, and the US.

In a region divided along religious, political and ethnic lines, the photography festival has become an event that crosses - and moves across - boundaries.

"This has become the annual gathering of photographers of the region, as the other festivals tended to be rather closed and focused on their own countries. We have become a unique event," he said.

Calkic said the common spirit was reflected in the fact that the festival has been organised by a team of people from all over Bosnia, while the seven-member jury, which will be awarding prizes from among more than 50 photographers expected to exhibit this year, comprises people from Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and the UK.