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Somalia Independency

Mikkel Hørlyck

Nominated by
Mikkel Hørlyck
Hassan, age 12, looks worried. He does not go to school, but helps his mother make shoes. The atmosphere is harsh, there are few resources here. Hunger is extremely mentally demanding to deal with, and hope a key. Somalia is a country with a special reputation for being challenged, and the people particularly hardy. Climate change requires social cooperation, where Mohamed Farole, Minister of Climate in Puntland, confirms that they do not cooperate with the Southern government in Mogadishu, on environmental change; the reason is that each area has its own problems and challenges of resources, which have created conflict between most recently Somaliland and SSC-Khaatumo, Laascnaanood, where Somaliland tried to take over that particular area. SSC-Khaatumo succeeded in freeing itself from outside dominance. The struggle for fair and independent living conditions in Somalia goes back many years, when the country was tried to be colonized by England and Italy. Today, Somalia stands on its own, with great dependence on external fund support. The dream is to stand more and more dependent on itself, where even if there is internal division, the south and north of Somalia do not want to let go of Somaliland, in the west. The Minister of Planning and its secretariat in SSC-Khaatumo, Laascaanood do not want more dead. That is why they have not chosen to take revenge on Somaliland. Hassan allows himself to be portrayed, where his loved ones stand by his side and watch it happen. If you look at the countryside, there are large fields of land. Waiting for the rain to come, in this drought-stricken country, with great innovative potential. Piracy has stopped in some areas, and this is seen as very positive for the country's reputation. An omniscient atmosphere characterizes the country: everything has been tried within the scale of conflict. This profundity is tremendously fascinating. On an international terrorist list is Al-Shabaab, which operates in Southern Somalia, where the capital is Mogadishu. It's not safe there. In the north, in Puntland's territory, peace is assured. The will of the population is enormous. In Tuulo-Oman, there is a water source that has been added with the help of Danish People's Aid: "It is really good for communication in the village," says Mohamoud, WASH Officer - KAALO - Aid and Development Organization. It creates peace, not conflict. The information project 'Somalia's independence' is supported by Danish People’s Aid – United Danish Appeal For Funds (Danmarks Indsamling) 2024.
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The Artist
Mikkel Hørlyck
Nominated in
2023
By
Mikkel Hørlyck
Lives and Works in
Copenhagen

Mikkel Hørlyck (b. 1990) is an independent photojournalist and visual artist based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Once a student at Fatamorgana The Danish School of Art Photography, he holds a BA in Photojournalism from the Danish School of Media and Journalism. Hørlyck’s career began as a photojournalist intern at Politiken, a Danish daily broadsheet. His work has since been recognised by a series of prizes – including Danish Picture Of The Year, Vilnius Photo Circle and World Report Award. In 2019, Hørlyck was named Discovery Of The Year at The Lucie Awards in New York.

Mikkel Hørlyck's Interview

More projects by this artist

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As a photographer, I’m proud to say that I had the honour of photographing a legend. Jørgen? He cheated death. Many times. But he didn’t do it alone. Doctors, nurses and guardians were a great help through the years. They saved him – again and again. Jørgen Pedersen should have been dead long ago – considering his age, countless diseases, and 40 years of drug abuse. I loved photographing him from our first meeting to the last. He was a scientist of drugs. A Freud of the drug environment. Satan’s favourite. A sophisticated mindset and an extroverted being. A holy man. A rich character

Hell’s Mouth

Following the full-scale Russian invasion and war in Ukraine since 24 February 2022, I chose to travel to Ukraine to document the consequences of the war, since my research said, that the strength and spirit of the Ukrainian people was deeply inspiring. I experienced exactly that; the deep-rooted loyalty to Ukraine, among its people. When I documented the consequences of missile attacks by Russian military in Kharkiv, East part of Ukraine, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) treatment by Ukrainian staff for elderly in the villages along the frontline, to following the 18th Sloviansk Brigade of National Guard of Ukraine.

According to UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency, nearly 3.7 million people in Ukraine are internally displaced in January 2024. 6.3 million refugees from Ukraine were recorded in the world in January 2024. Meeting the elderly men and women in the villages Lyman and Yampil was a huge experience; they had witnessed their villages be occupied by the Russia military, and fought back to Ukraine territory again. When looking them, in the eyes, was the strongest experience I had, during my nine days travel in Ukraine. The fear and horror, they had been through, was clearly relevant to document, since I believe, that there are much to learn from the Ukrainian people.

It is not only at the frontline that soldiers are alert of what is going on during the war – when Russia military sends out missiles hitting larger cities in Kyiv and Kharkiv, everyone is on constant alert. I felt that everywhere I went, in the atmosphere. It only makes sense, since the buildings being hit by Russian military, often are residential buildings. Again, I was impressed by the calmness among the Ukrainian people, the way they adapt and constant analyses what is going on.

This photojournalistic project ‘Hell’s Mouth’ is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark’s Fund 'OpEn' - on information and engagement.