The Struggles of Occupation: Georgia's Unseen Reality

Daro Sulakauri highlights the urgent need to document Georgia's struggles and resilience amid ongoing Russian occupation.

### The Struggles of Identity and Resilience in Occupied Georgia
* 🌍 Waking up to find oneself in a different country due to shifting borders is a **confusing and unsettling reality** for many, particularly in Georgia, where around **20% of the territory is occupied by Russia**.
* 🚷 The lack of marked borders poses a significant risk, as individuals may face **kidnapping or detention by Russian-backed forces**, making the decision to **stay or leave incredibly difficult**.
* 📸 Daro Sulakauri, a Georgian photojournalist, emphasizes the **importance of awareness** regarding Georgia's struggles, as these issues could **arise in other regions as well**.
* 👵 Sulakauri's journey into photography began at age 14, driven by a **desire to challenge stereotypes**, particularly through her first project on Chechen refugees, which showcased them in a **different light**.
* 📰 Her work has since focused on taboo topics within Georgia, including **early marriages**, the plight of mine workers, and the consequences of the conflict with Russia, aiming to **ignite dialogue and inspire change**.
* 🚶 One poignant story she documented involved a 14-year-old boy **risking his life to cross the occupied border** to visit his sick grandmother, symbolizing the **resilience of the Georgian people**.
* 🧑 Sulakauri believes in forming connections with the subjects of her photography, ensuring that their stories are **authentically represented and preserved for future generations**.
* 🌱 Despite historical attempts to erase their identity, the **strong roots of Georgian culture and traditions** remain, driving Sulakauri's mission to ensure her people's **stories are heard and understood**.

It’s very confusing and unsettling to wake up and have only 72 hours to make that really hard decision to either leave your house or stay on the Russian-occupied territory. Overnight, the border has been unofficially redrawn by the occupied forces. Your bedroom is now located in a different country, while your living room and kitchen are still in the country where you fell asleep. The borders are not marked, so you might end up being kidnapped or detained by the Russian-backed forces. Director: Is that a reality for many people? Daro Sulakauri: It is a reality for many people in Georgia. In fact, about 20 percent of Georgia is occupied by Russia. Georgia is not heard or seen in the world, and many don't even know the location of the country. It's important to know what is going on today in Georgia because, yeah, it happens in one region, but you never know when it's going to happen in your country.

or in your region. So we have to pay more attention. My name is Daro Sulakauri. I'm a Georgian photojournalist. I started taking pictures when I was 14. I was talking with my camera. It was like an intermediary of me expressing myself. I had a turning point when I did my first photo project on Chechen refugees. My great-grandmother was a Chechen woman, and I was always told stories about her. During that time, there was this stereotype on Chechens in Georgia, that they were all like criminals and terrorists. I wanted to destroy the stereotype. When I finished the story, I got emails from people saying that, Thank you for showing Chechens in a different way. I think that was the moment I realized what power photography had and how it can really change consciousness in people and let them think differently. From that moment, I concentrated on stories in my country.

that touched on taboo topics such as early marriages and conditions faced by mine workers, stories about minorities, post-Soviet health care system that created a pandemic of stolen babies, and how conflict with Russia led to the surreal border dynamics I described earlier. There are so many topics to cover in Georgia, and I feel like it's not been covered. By photographing these topics and talking about it, the dialogue starts, and I think from this dialogue, the change comes. One journey I documented a 14-year-old boy telling the story about how he had to cross the occupied border onto the Russian-controlled territory to visit his ill grandmother, and kind of risking his life. And I went with him on this one trip that took us four hours to crawl, walk, hide, and cross irrigation canals. We had to hide from both the Russian-backed militants and also Georgian border police. It's really dangerous for, especially journalists, because they don't know where the border is.

I could not make any mistakes, or I would be detained by the Russian-backed militants. He symbolized for me our people's resilience because he loves his grandmother so much. He kind of killed the fear in him and took this road. I think it matters to not just be a photographer who goes there and leaves and never comes back, but to actually have this connection with the people. It's not just a story that's told by a photographer, but it's a story that's told by the people who live in Georgia. It's like an archive that will let the future generation also understand what it was like to live close to the occupied territories. The Soviet Union tried to demolish our identity, but they couldn't manage because our roots are very strong, like traditions and culture and language. So I think it's very important to tell the story of my people. I want us to be heard.

A Lens on Georgia’s Survival in the Shadow of a Superpower | Daro Sulakauri | TED

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The Impact of Russian Occupation in Georgia

Many people in Georgia face the unsettling reality of living in Russian-occupied territories, with the border unofficially redrawn overnight.

Daro Sulakauri, a Georgian photojournalist, emphasizes the importance of raising awareness about Georgia's situation, as 20% of the country is occupied by Russia.

Sulakauri's photography aims to challenge stereotypes and change perceptions, highlighting the power of visual storytelling in making a difference.

The photographer is highlighting taboo subjects in Georgia, such as early marriages, mine workers' conditions, and the post-Soviet healthcare system's impact.

The conflict with Russia has created surreal border dynamics, leading to dangerous journeys for individuals like a 14-year-old boy crossing into Russian territory to visit his ill grandmother.

The photographer believes that by documenting these stories and starting a dialogue, change can be initiated.

The Importance of Telling the Story of Resilience

The speaker felt the pressure of not making mistakes due to the presence of Russian-backed militants.

They emphasize the significance of having a personal connection with the people in Georgia, rather than just being a transient photographer.

The speaker aims to document and share their people's stories, highlighting the strength of their identity and the importance of being heard.