This photo was taken in Tbilisi, March 2023 and shows how a group of people-despite the fact that a police squad sprays them with a water cannon- bravely holds on to the European Union flag. The protesters had gathered to show their contempt about a law under discussion in Parliament that clearly opposed European values. By bravely withstanding the force of the cold water, the demonstrators keep waving the blue flag with the golden stars as a symbol of the Georgian people’s European choice that will prevail. They are unarmed against armed police officers and defend European values and democracy with the waving flag. As soon as this photo was publicized it became a cherished and popular image of Georgians’ European identity and values. The President of Georgia decorated the persons from the picture with an Order of Merit for their courage and sacrifice to protect the European flag despite the deployed police force.
From July 17 to 21, 2023, this photograph was displayed at the exhibition «Spirit of Freedom» at the European Parliament in Brussels (ISBN 978-83-968634-0-9). The image, referred to as the «Twelve Star War» symbolized the long struggle that finally led to Georgia’s adoption by the European Union as a candidate for membership, last December. Being awarded by your organisation will offer me the opportunity to show this work of art to a much larger audience, enabling them to grasp and appreciate the fierce and self-sacrificing battle that my country is fighting for the sake of European values and democracy.
- Рейтинг фотографов по странам и городам строится на основе 3-х лучших фотографий автора и их относительной позиции в каждой отдельной номинации. Рейтинг в номинации "Мобильная фотография" учитывается в меньшей степени для формирования рейтинга. В списке по странам и городам показывается одна фотография автора с лучшим рейтингом.
- В списке опубликованы только работы которые прошли 2-й этап голосования.
- The rating of photographers by countries and cities is based on the three best photos of the author and their relative position in each separate nomination. Rating in the nomination "Mobile Photography" is taken into account to a lesser extent for rating formation. The list by country and city shows one photo of the author with the best rating.
- Only those photos have been published in the list that passed the second stage of voting.
