The photo is titled “Under the dark clouds of war”. It was taken in the Rivne region by Polish photographer Patryk Jaracz, who has been documenting events in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

This is stated on the foundation’s website.

In this photo, Jaric captured a striking moment where five-year-old Alina, along with two other girls, is trying to learn to ride a bicycle. But the scene is given an unexpected context: in the background, black smoke rising from an oil storage facility is visible. The day before, there was an arson attack, and the remnants of black smoke are still in the air.

This contrast between the children’s efforts and the tragic consequences of the events creates an impression of unease and uncertainty. The video can evoke emotions in viewers by emphasizing the need to protect the environment and community safety. Such a story can be used to create awareness of the problem and a call to action to prevent similar situations in the future.

“A moment of serenity under the black clouds of doom. In this case, just an oil depot, no houses, no hospitals, no schools. Not every day and not everywhere since February 2022, the war in greater Ukraine has been so present that it could completely extinguish the light of Ukrainian children. This year’s winning image by Polish photographer Patryk Jaracz symbolizes the light of children’s resilience and joy that breaks through the darkness of global wars, conflicts and disasters,” the UNICEF website says.

Foto: Patryk Jaracz