Photo exhibition “Beyond borders: Stories from Jesuit Refugee Service in Bijeljina”

Our photo exhibition titled “Beyond borders: Stories from Jesuit Refugee Service” was held on August 30th and 31st at the “Semberija” Cultural center in Bijeljina, attracting numerous visitors and evoking strong emotions. This event was part of our broader project, “Connecting hearts and minds: Promoting integration and social cohesion between migrants and the local population”.

The photographs on display were not artistically stylized but rather depicted simple and realistic images reflecting part of the journey that migrants and refugees make through Croatia. They bear witness to realities that unfold far from the public eye, yet are crucial for understanding migration movements at our borders.

We are especially pleased to have hosted this exhibition in Bijeljina, a city through which many refugees and migrants have passed over the years. Here, we not only shared their stories but also took the opportunity to raise awareness about the tragic event that occured on August 22nd on the Drina River. On that day, the bodies of 12 people, including a young woman and her nine-month-old daughter, were found on the banks of the Drina and in the river itself.

This tragedy deeply reminds us of the dangers that migrants face every day in their search for safety and a better life. Over the past five years, the Drina River has claimed hundreds of lives. Sadly, many remain unidentified, buried far from their homes, often in places marked only by anonymous markers.

Through this exhibition, we sought to convey not only these difficult moments but also the strength, courage, and hope that these people carry with them. Their stories are tales of survival, but also of a resiliant human spirit.

Our activities are supported within the project “Individual measures to strengthen capacities for managing migration flows in Croatia” funded by the European union and implemented by the International organization for migration (IOM).