This exhibition “Crossing Borders between Turkey and Armenia” was launched by the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation (IHJR) on 15 October, 2013, in the Atrium of The Hague Municipality building. It forms part of the larger project “Ani, Kars, Gyumri: Journey towards Understanding”, developed by the IHJR to promote dialogue and build trust in Turkish and Armenian civil society. The exhibition is generously supported by the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Adessium Foundation, and The Hague Municipality.

Crossing Borders between Turkey and Armenia is a visual dialogue between three photographers: Zaven Khachikyan of Armenia, Mesut Tufan of Turkey, and Kadir van Lohuizen of the Netherlands. Each traveled separately through the borderlands of Turkey and Armenia, documenting the cultures, architecture, and every-day life of its people. Their work focuses on the “twin cities” of Kars, Turkey, and Gyumri, Armenia, as well as the ruins of the ancient archaeological site of Ani in Turkey. As a whole, Crossing Borders is a testament to the shared experiences, past and present, of communities on both sides of the Turkish-Armenian border.