Documentary portraits reveal the fates of refugees in Bulgaria

15.07.2025 | Humanitarian Focus

The UN Refugee Agency presents a large-scale photographic project that, through 13 personal stories, aims to provoke public dialogue and understanding of migration challenges.

Снимка от United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Wikimedia Commons (обществено достояние)

The capital's audience will have the opportunity to touch upon the dramatic experiences of people forced to leave their native places, thanks to the large-scale exhibition "Shared Journey", organized by UNHCR Bulgaria.

Photographer Ivan Shishiev (known by the pseudonym turn0search3) presents deeply emotional portraits of refugees from four different countries – Syria, Ukraine, Sudan, and Afghanistan. The project reveals intimate moments from their difficult paths to salvation and a new beginning.

The exhibition, which started in July 2025, will be available to visitors in a special pop-up format in Sofia. Through close-up shots and personal stories, the organizers aim to evoke empathy and encourage inter-community dialogue.

The thirteen documentary portraits present different human destinies, united by the shared experience of forced departure from their homeland and the search for security. The exhibition will continue until the end of July, providing a unique opportunity to understand migration challenges.