Year after year the Kontinent photographers have committed to in-depth work, following closely the stories and the lives of the people they met on the way. 2017 has been no exception to that with a particular focus on the global struggle of refugees, without forgetting to document the challenges and the beauty of everyday life. This selection gathers the photographers’ own favorite images from 2017.
We are also pleased and proud to announce that four of our members were nominated in the 2018 Swedish Picture of the Year Award: Niclas Hammarström, Anna Tärnhuvud, Ola Torkelsson and Anders Hansson. The ceremony will be held in Uppsala on March 3rd. Congratulations to them!
Vimda Sendhil Kumar gave birth to little Janani in week 28, 12 weeks ahead of her scheduled delivery date. Photo: Linda Forsell / KontinentAstorp Sweden. On may 30th the first major deportation took place from the detention center in Astorp in southern Sweden. A big number of Afghans and asylum activists gathered to protest the deportation. Ahmad Rahimi is falling to the ground when the bus with his countrymen finally leaves the detention center. In 2015 Sweden received 163 000 asylum seekers, over 35 000 where unaccompanied minors mainly from Afghanistan. Two years later many of them have been denied asylum. Photo: Anders Hansson / KontinentJawed, 9 years old, from Afghanistan, has been living in Sweden with his family for the past 2 years.He speaks fluent Swedish, goes to school, wants to be a rapper so that he can sing to people and make them happy, and one day he wants to buy a nice place for his family to live and a new pair of cool Adidas.Jawed has also been denied asylum 3 times and could be deported any time. Jawed speaks 7 languages, prefers movies from the old times but Spiderman is fine too, wants a hoverboard for his birthday, and to learn how to play guitar. Photo: Clément Morin / KontinentThe neo-Nazi Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR) shouted slogans during several events at Sweden's annual Almedalen Week political forum. Photo: Karl Melander / KontinentThe Mediterranean sea outside Libyan territorial waters. A rubber dinghy with around a hundred migrants has just reached international waters. From January to May 2017 over 60 000 people got into rubber dinghies to cross to Europe. In 2016 almost 170 000 made the same journey. From the Libyan coast it takes between four and nine hours until the dinghies reach international waters. That’s where the rescue ships are waiting,. If the dinghies at all reach that far. Thousands of people have drowned trying. During 48 hours in May over 3000 migrants were saved outside Libyan waters according to the staff att The Aquarius. Photo: Anders Hansson / KontinentTindouf/Smara refugee camp. After over 40 years of waiting, 100 000 refugees from Western Sahara are still stuck in refugee camps in Algeria. Photo: Johan Persson / KontinentThe refugee camp Moria on the Greek island Lesbos has become a waiting hall for refugees that are trying to reach Europe. Ever since EU shook hands with Turkey and agreed on sending back refugees arriving to the EU, 5300 refugees are stuck in Moria alone - a camp that has capacity for 2500 people. The stories inside the camp doesn’t reach out since journalists are not allowed inside - but Alexander Mahmoud managaed to sneak in and spend three days together with the people living there. Photo: Alexander Mahmoud / KontinentIn the afternoon rush Friday April 7 2017, a man hijacked a truck and drove down Drottninggatan, the main shopping street in Stockholm. Before the car crashed into a mall, 19 people were hit. Special Police Force in operation minutes after the attack. Photo: Magnus Laupa / KontinentStockholm had once again become the scene of a terrorist attack which took five people’s lives. On the following day, thousands of people attended the scene of the attack to see with their own eyes. Facing the terror. Photo: Casper Hedberg / Kontinent2 days after the terror attack thousands and thousands of inhabitants of Stockholm, visitors, tourists and others gather at Sergel Square to show their respect for the victims of terror and to manifest against terror. On the roof top of Kulturhuset participants try to get an good overview. Photo: Magnus Laupa / KontinentOlga Zakul Icaal, 4 years old, stands outside her village Indigena Zapote, Alta Verapaz. The landowner extrajudicially evicted the whole village in May 2017. Two of Olgas siblings are chronic malnourished just as Olga. Food: Beans, tortillas and herbs.
Photo: Jesper Klemedsson / KontinentWorkers and farmers on their way back to the village after a days work in the poppy fields in the mountains of Shan State, Myanmar. Photo: Vilhelm Stokstad / KontinentToch, South Sudan. John Khong Joak, 62 years old, is fishing in the Sudd swamp to feed his family. -It is getting harder to fish because the sea tulips and algae is covering larger areas of the swamp. The fish is getting smaller and I don't get as many as before. Help us! We need help we are dying here, he said. This is the first time in his life that the whole river is covered. Many scientists say climate change is the reason.The giant marshes are classified as an area of significance for the entire planet's health. Here, the White Nile turns into a pioneer of islands, canals and marshlands. Photo: Niclas Hammarström / KontinentA worn house on the shore of a fjord, with small motorboats anchored in a bay with icebergs and snow-capped mountains in the background. Photo: Martin Edström / KontinentNight time in Lerum, Sweden. Birgitta and Bengt Bohlin, 88 and 86 years old, have been married since 1958 and they spend all their time together, like a symbiosis that grew stronger over the years. About once a week they enjoy Bengt’s self-built sauna, and help each other with pedicure. Photo: Moa Karlberg / KontinentIt's always been hurting on the inside. Pim never felt like Pim belongs to the gender norms that's accepted by the society. But when Pim gets to hear about the pronoun ''non-binary'' everything falls into place. It's like Pim can breath for the first time. But Pim is afraid that no one will love Pim for who Pim really is. When Pim tells Pims mother she says: ''It doesn't matter who you are or what you feel like, because you will always be my child.'' In Sweden there are no legal gender that confirms Pims identity. It's a constant struggle to even exist. Skellefteå, 2017-01-27. Photo: Anna Tärnhuvud / KontinentEleven years ago Susanni Lindström was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She decided to ignore the illness and continued her life at full speed... until even the smallest tasks became insurmountable. After realizing that she could not continue like that, Susanni followed a course in Fatigue Management. The course gave her smart tips in order to save energy in everyday task, like letting the saucepan rest on the sink while filling it up.– Like this I have more energy for what's fun in life: my cats.Photo: Marc Femenia / KontinentHangvar, Gotland, Sweden. An American CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter on duty during the Military defence exercise AURORA17. Curious locals takes their photograph at the approaching invader. Photo: Karl Melander / KontinentAvdiivka Starting the third year of the conflict in eastern Ukraine the war is in status quo. Daily the two sides are shelling each other leaving wounded and dead. The economy in the east is in shambles. One of the few major work places still running is the coke factory in Avdiivka. The factory has been shelled numerous times but for the people in Avdiivka it remains a symbol of normality. As long as it keeps on running the people will stay in their city, even though the factory workers might die on their post. Photo: Anders Hansson / KontinentAvdiivka, Ukraine. A separatist mortar hit the house of Natalja Sjesjaltsovs in Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine during the night. Early in the morning firefighters are still struggling to put out the fire. ''The only things we have left are the clothes we are wearing'', she says. Photo: Anders Hansson / KontinentA prisoner at the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Jan 2017. Photo: Ola Torkelsson / KontinentMexican / US border. During a few hours each weekend, Friendship Park opens up to give people the opportunity to meet relatives and friends on the other side of the border. Between them a grid of steel, to prevent smuggling. On the US side, Alex and Michelle stand with their daughter Zamora. On the other side is Alex’s mother Theresa. 16 years ago she was deported to Mexico. It's the first time she meets her granddaughter. And the second time she sees her son since they were separated. Photo: Linus Sundahl-Djerf / KontinentManila, PhilippinesChristopher Castillo was shot dead by masked men outside the shop at Plaza Noli.President Duterte has declared war against all who are dealing with drugs. The police have death patrols that go around and execute those who are involved with drugs.According to Christopher's friends, he did not deal with drugs but was a criminal. Photo: Niclas Hammarström / KontinentRinkeby/Tensta. A quiet minute in respect for victims of the increased deathly violence.The hall is over-filled when politician Karin Wanngård visited Tensta to meet with the residents. Photo: Magnus Laupa / Kontinent'' I hear how the teachers are talking about us. They’re talking about who should have sex with a girl first”. It’s called,''sex for grades''. The systematic utilization when teachers forcing schoolgirls into sex with the threat of failing them if they say no. Although sexual exploitation is a crime in Mozambique, there is almost no teacher facing justice. Often the teacher are transfered to another school, where the harassment continues. Mozambique, November 2017. Photo: Pi Frisk / KontinentBanjul, Gambia. Former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh was forced to leave his country after 22 years in power.
Photo: Johan Persson / KontinentCúcuta, Colombia, The crisis in Venezuela has forced more than 3 million people to leave the country. Williams Aguilera, 27 years old, from Caracas has just gone to bed on the piece of sidewalk he calls home on the Colombian side of the border. – I’ve been here a week. I used to work in a laundromat in Caracas and was hoping to find work here as well. But so far I’ve had no luck. It’s very tiring to stay here. There are som many from Venezuela who are stuck here just like me. Photo: Anders Hansson / KontinentNew Year's Eve 2017. Åsa and Putte at Kristianstad hospital. Patrik ''Putte'' Amberntsson was notified that he had cancer by the end of 2015. His girlfriend Åsa has taken care of him after he got sick. Two days after this picture was taken Patrik died. Åsa was with him to the very end. Photo: Jörgen Johansson / KontinentI met with Daniella a cold spring night in May and we went to a party with her friends. At the bus anticipations were high. She told me that a guy she liked probably would be at the party, but she didn't know how he felt about her.
As the night proceeded I got to witness a love story take form.
Just the small wonders of life, a night in Stockholm. Photo: Margareta Bloom Sandebäck / KontinentKramfors, Sweden. A runner rest during the Swedish championships in 24-hour running. The race takes place on a 400 meter oval where the distance of each runner is measured after 24 hours. Each of the competitors choose wether they will rest or not. The time is ticking and in the end the runner who have reach the longest distance is the winner. Photo: Jacob Zocherman / KontinentSkate Aid Rwanda. Debraher is the first female skateboarder in Rwanda. She was given the opportunity to get into skateboarding thanks to the organisation Skate Aid, which provides skateboard to the youth in many countries around the world. Photo: Clément Morin / KontinentAli Al-Kazaz after training at Tensta Boxing Club. Photo: Magnus Laupa / KontinentEskilstuna, Sweden. Hundreds of young unmarried Mormons gathered for dance party at the FestiNord festival. By midnight the dance floor had reached a fever pitch. No alcohol was served. Mormons don´t drink. Photo: Magnus Laupa / Kontinent
