Why did we include Israel in the VISIBLES MMXXV project?

NGO Pim Pam Pum / VISIBLE MMXXV | Humanitarianism above political ideologies

The decision to include Israel after the 3ᵉ edition of VISIBLE was complex and sparked debates within our team and with our allied communities. We have chosen to do this out of coherence with our fundamental principle: to give visibility to the civilian populations victims of conflicts.

At Pim Pam Pum, our principle is clear: we work for the population, not for politics. We know that armed conflicts arise from political, military and ideological decisions, but our focus is on people: those who suffer, resist and seek to live with dignity in the midst of violence and devastation.

The conflict in Palestine and Israel illustrates how politics translates into human tragedies. On October 7, 2023, Israeli families were attacked in a sudden and brutal way; many are still waiting for the return of their relatives held captive. At the same time, the civilian population of Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, with massive losses, forced displacement, destroyed infrastructure and the collapse of essential services.

The comparison is uneven, but the main thing remains: it is the civilians on both sides who are paying the price of the war. Our humanitarian approach recognizes all suffering, without prioritizing or minimizing it. The situation of the Palestinian population remains critical, not only because of the current violence, but also because of decades of occupation, displacement and repeated crises that have marked several generations.

The MMXXV is not limited to a single territory: it is open to women photographers from Palestine, Israel, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Cameroon, Somalia, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and Ecuador, countries facing armed conflicts, insurgencies or deep humanitarian crises. This selection reflects our commitment to the lives of civilian populations, while our gaze also extends to other territories where daily life is disrupted by war, armed violence, insecurity or social collapse.

Thanks to the ability of the women of these territories to capture moments, communicate ideas and preserve memories through images, we seek to show everyday life in the midst of chaos, silent resilience and moments of dignity and resistance that survive war and crisis. Each photograph becomes a testimony that makes visible what often remains invisible, reminding us that behind each conflict are singular lives, human stories and women who retain the strength to imagine a better future.

It is not a question of approving the policies of a state, nor of ignoring the obvious imbalance between Gaza and Israel. It is about recognizing that the victims are not responsible for the decisions of governments or armed groups. Israeli families who have lost loved ones or are living in fear after the attacks by Hamas and hostile neighboring countries also deserve to be visible. Denying their pain would be as unfair as invisibilizing that of Palestinians, Yemenis, Syrians or other invited countries, facing conflicts, widespread violence and humanitarian crises often hidden by political bias, even on the part of humanitarian organizations.

Our project is open to women photographers from Palestine, Israel and other territories in the region. Through their gaze, we seek to value their work, empower them to use photography as a means of personal expression or professional development, show everyday life in the midst of chaos, highlight silent resilience and moments of dignity, and draw global attention to the affected territories and their inhabitants.

Each photograph is a testimony: of mourning, of memory, of struggle, but also of beauty and humanity in extreme contexts. THE MMXXV does not take sides; it stands by the victims. This is not a space of geopolitics, but of pure humanitarianism. And in this mission, we understand that criticism may appear, but we reaffirm our conviction: to be on the side of people, not politics.