Visual Peacemaking

The concept of using photography to help bring understanding between communities is not a new one, however, in recent years there has been a growing interest in direct “Visual Peacemaking”.  The International Guild of Visual Peacemakers aims to: build bridges of peace across ethnic, cultural, and religious lines through visual communication that is both accountable to an ethical standard and created by those who authentically care about people.” (IGVP 2011).  This worldwide collective of photographers and creatives is directly trying to use the skills they have to positively influence the world.  They largely work with photo narratives and documentaries to tell stories and build understanding across different cultural and social barriers.