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On this day: Jan 26, 2017 – President Adama Barrow returns home to The Gambia, West Africa

January 26, 2021documentary, Jason Florio, multimedia, photography, photojournalism, reportage, The GambiaGambia Has Decided, human rights, New Gambia, Portraits4PositiveChange, President Adama Barrow, West Africa, Yahya Jammehjason florio Leave a comment

On this day Jan 26th, 2017

A triumphant, and momentous day for The Gambia, West Africa. Ten’s of thousands of euphoric Gambians lined the streets for miles – and miles! (an estimated over 100,000 Gambians flocked the main road) – to welcome home their new president, Adama Barrow. Due to potential security risks, Barrow had briefly exiled himself to neighbouring Senegal, where he was inaugurated at the Gambian Embassy, Dakar.

President Adama Barrow of The Republic of The Gambia, arrives back into the country after his self-imposed exile in Senegal © jason_florio-9706 — President Adama Barrow, returns home from exile, to The Gambia, West Africa © Jason Florio

#GambiaHasDecided

On December 1st, 2016, the Gambian people voted out their autocratic President Yahya Jammeh, after 22 years in power, and elected Adama Barrow as their new president. Jammeh conceded defeat, but a week later announced that he was annulling the election results and would not step down. A grassroots movement #GambiaHasDecided emerged in reaction.

Activists initially set up billboards with the slogan #GambiaHasDecided. The billboards were torn down by Jammeh loyalists. Not to be intimidated, the activists around the country turned to spray painting the slogan.

Gambian’s new president Adama Barrow, who was sworn into power in Dakar due to security concerns arrives back to Gambia, marking the first democratic transfer of power since 1965. Image ©Jason Florio

100's of 1000's of people welcome back their new President, Adama Barrow, of the Republic of The Gambia © Jason Florio — 100’s of 1000’s of people welcome back their new President, Adama Barrow, of the Republic of The Gambia © Jason Florio

‘Gambia – victims, and resisters’

Gambia's new president, Adama Barrow, at Banjul Airport, The Gambia, after being sworn in in Dakar, Senegal, for security reasons ©Jason Florio — Gambia’s new president, Adama Barrow, reception at Banjul Airport, The Gambia – returning from exile in Dakar, Senegal, where, for security reasons, he was sworn into office ©Jason Florio

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On this day: Jan 26, 2017 – President Adama Barrow returns home to The Gambia, West Africa

VIMEO: President, Adama Barrow, arrives back to The Gambia to a rapturous reception, Banjul Airport. iPhone footage ©Jason Florio

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CURRENT LOCATION: JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2021

THE GAMBIA, WEST AFRICA

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‘The Day The Towers Fell – my 9/11 journey’ Jason Florio

September 11, 2020documentary, photography, photojournalism, reportageblack and white photography, New York City, September 11th, terrorism, vimeojason florio Leave a comment

September 11th, 2001-the North Tower on fire after the first plane hits, World Trade Center Towers, NYC. Black and white image ©Jason Florio — WATCH :September 11th, 2001-the North Tower on fire after the first plane hits, World Trade Center, NYC. Black and white image ©Jason Florio

The Day The Towers Fell – my 9/11 journey In August 2001 I went to Afghanistan to photograph a war – all was quiet. But when I returned to my home in New York City, in early September, the war came to me. Full interview Photography Daily Show

9/11 – more images

September 11th, 2001-A New York City cop stands with his head down, among the debris from the fallen World Trade Center Towers, NYC. Black and white image ©Jason Florio — September 11th, 2001-A New York City cop stands with his head down, among the debris from the fallen World Trade Center Towers, NYC. image ©Jason Florio

The Day The Towers Fell – my 9/11 journey

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An Afghan Diary

…To follow the full story on Afghanistan (from my previous trip in 2000) we knew we also need it to head to the north-east to meet the Taliban opposition, the Northern Alliance, who controlled that portion of the country. This we could not do until a year later in August 2001.

Our first attempt to cross the border from Pakistan to the Northern Alliance area disguised as women wearing full covering burqas failed. We then spent the next three weeks organizing a ride into the country via Tajikistan on a Russian helicopter operated by the Northern Alliance… Jason Florio read/see more

Current Location: September 2020 – Malta

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Motion

‘The Lion of Panjshir’ – Commander Ahmed Shah Massoud

September 10, 2020photography, photojournalism, reportageAfghanistan, Ahmed Shah Massoud, black and white photography, documentary, traveljason florio Leave a comment

19 years ago, September 2001, I was in Afghanistan with Pepe Escobar. On returning to my home in New York City I got the news on Sept 10th that Commander Ahmed Shah Massoud – ‘The Lion of the Panjshir’ (header image) – who we had recently been a guest of, had been assassinated by Al Qaeda operatives posing at journalists. The following day I was standing next to the Twin Towers, in Lower Manhattan as they collapsed…

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An Afghan Diary

My journey to the Taliban-controlled region of Afghanistan in August 2000 was in fact not planned. I was on my way to Kashmir to follow the ‘jihad trail’ when I got a call to join my colleague and writer Pepe Escobar, who was working on jihad stories on the Pakistan-Afghan border – he said: “This is (Afghanistan) where it’s really happening…”.

Crossing the Afghanistan-Pakistan border by foot at the Khyber pass we spent two weeks driving through the heart of Taliban-Afghanistan to try and get a clear understanding of who the Taliban were and how they held such sway over the populace. We felt we had dropped through a tear in the space-time fabric to the surreal land of corrupted ancient ideologies spouted from the mouths kohl-eyed men driving brand-new Toyota 4×4’s, where photography was outlawed – and because of which, we were arrested on two occasions… Jason Florio – read / see more images floriophoto.com

Current Location: September 2020 – Malta

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Motion

Also @floriophotos / @jasonflorio_photoprints– Instagram

February 20, 2019documentary, Jason Florio, photography, reportageblack and white photography, LensCulture, migration, photojournalism, refugees, Syriajason florio Leave a comment

Images © Jason Florio / MOAS – featured in Musée Magazine.

Press: Rescues at Sea. Images © Jason Florio – Musée Magazine, Issue #21 – Florio’s Magnum Photography Award winning images (pages 182-183) – ‘Destination Europe‘ – taken over a period of 2 years documenting multiple rescue missions onboard two rescues boats – The Phoenix and The Responder, with MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aids Station), in the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea.

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2019 – Currently working on

‘Gambia – Victims, and Resisters of a Regime‘

#Portraits4PositiveChange

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