The Zone

• Prize
  Gold in Press/War, 2nd Place winner in Press
• Photographer
  Thea Pedersen, Denmark
• Studio
  Thea Pedersen
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/tparabien/

It was launched on October 9th 2019; As ‘Operation Peace Spring’ and with the goal to create a 50 km. deep safe zone in North East Syria between Turkey and the Kurdish self-autonomous area of Rojava.
With the abandonment of the American forces and the apathy of the West the Turkey’s incursion instead left a belt of destruction, devastation and death. In two weeks more than 100.000 had fled homes and villages, soldiers and civilians became victims of claimed white phosphorous attacks while ISIS-prisoners escaped captivity and left the region once again unstable and in uncertainty.

Independent journalist and photographer covering war and conflict for a wide range of Danish and International media outlets in e.g. Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Among others Newsweek US, Jyllands-Posten, Politiken, Amnesty Denmark, Middle East Eye etc.

Awards PX3, 2020 (Prix de la Photographie Paris):
Silver, Press/Feature Category.
Shortlisted, State of the World.
Curator selection.

IPA, 2020 (International Photography Awards):
First Place Winner, War/Conflict Category.

TIFA 2020 (Tokyo International Foto Awards):
Silver, Editorial Conflict Category.
Bronze, Editorial Political Category.
Honorable Mention.

MIFA, 2020 (Moscow International Foto Awards):
Silver, Editorial Conflict Category.
Honorable Mention.