Stories

Myanmar

Since 2011 the region Kachin in northern Myanmar is in an ongoing conflict between liberation armies and the central government. After Burmese independence in 1948 many ethnic minorities have been campaigning for more self determination and independence, with little success. The military arm of the Kachin Independence Organization has been fighting government soldiers since 1961, with only one ceasefire being brokered between them from 1994 to 2011. Since the collapse of the ceasefire in 2011 more than 400 villages have been damaged or destroyed and 150,000 people displaced. The army is using extreme force against the liberation fighters and destroys whole villages. More than 100.000 people live as Internally displaced people in refugee camps

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Gran Canaria

Over the past 11 months, about 20,000 people have braved the Atlantic route from Africa to Europe, with more than 8,000 arriving in the Canaries in November 2020 alone. At least 500 people have died in their attempt to reach the islands. The Spanish government has moved about 6,000 migrants from tents at the port of Arguineguín to 17 hotels that have been shuttered by the pandemic.

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The Future of Food

Urban farming has grown in popularity over the last 10–15 years. It has largely been driven by the rapid urbanization of developing regions. More people than ever are growing food in cities, developing new ecologically friendly production cycles. More than two-thirds of the world's population is forecast to live in cities by 2050. Urban agriculture can be crucial to feeding them, potentially producing as much as 180 million tonnes of food a year - or about 10% of the global output of pulses and vegetables.

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Lesbos

On September 9, 2020 a fire devastated the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island Lesbos. 13,000 people were made homeless and lived on the streets and in the olive groves surrounding the camp for a week. The Greek government set up a makeshift camp on a former army target practice area that is supposed to temporarily accommodate people until spring 2021. The camp is not equipped for winter and is already overcrowded.

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Chile | Isla Robinson Crusoe

At the beginning of the 18th century the Scottish privateer Alexander Selkirk was left as a castaway on a Pacific Island. Years later after his return to England Daniel Defoe took inspiration from his story and created his novel Robinson Crusoe. In 1969 the Chilean government renamed the island after its prominent fictional character: Isla Robinson Crusoe

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CAR | Health Care and Malaria

Every year over 200 million people suffer from Malaria. Between 400.000 and 500.000 die of the disease. More than 90% of the deaths occure in Subsaharan Africa. The most vulnerable are children under 5 and pregnant women. The Central African Republic's health system is due to a raging civil war since 2013 completely destroyed and those suffering from the disease heavily rely on mobile clinics.

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Egypt | Revolution 2.0

The mass demonstrations across Tunisia and Egypt in early 2011 had a major impact on the political landscape in the Middle East. They were fueled by the hope for more freedom and social justice. Between 2011 and 2013 Egypt saw more freedom of expression and a politically active civil society. The election of its first civil president Mohamed Mursi supported the hope for lasting change.

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Egypt | St. Mark's Legacy

Egypt is home to the largest Christian community in the Middle East. In the past decades the Coptic Church experienced a turbulent history of alternating religious persecution and relative stability. But their situation as a religious minority worsened dramatically with the overthrow of Husni Mubarak in 2011 and the violent attacks on churches in Cairo and Upper Egypt, which left hundreds injured and more than 20 people dead.

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Maldives | Postcards from Paradise

The Maldives are perceived by many as a holiday paradise. But the beautiful scenery comes with an ugly side which takes its toll on the local population and especially immigrated workers. Environmental pollution and slave labor thrive without any regulation.

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Meteor

The German science vessel Meteor is searching for the energy source of tomorrow: methane hydrate. The gas offers a lot of advantages but has its risks. What impact would the mining of gas resources below the ocean floor have?

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Crimea | Bolshoi Theatre

Despite an international outcry Wladimir Putin annexed the Ukrainian peninsula Crimea. The deployment of Russian troops was an effective instrument to manipulate the local population. It was only the beginning of a big Russian stage play in the region.

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Iraq | Shattered Dreams

Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003 Iraq has been a war torn country. Despite the fact that Iraq is one of the few democracies in the region, corruption and sectarian violence thrive and leave many behind with their shattered dreams.

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Skin | Cairo's Tanneries

A glimpse through the Old Gates of Cairo’s medieval city walls reveals some dusty streets, busy people and a penetrating smell crawling up your nose. The district is home to nearly a hundred tanneries, which grew outside the old city borders until rapid urbanization has absorbed the former periphery. Time has not changed here for decades, it seems.

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