Children Dance, Laughter, and No Alarms

Melaniia Ryzak, Ukraine

I took this photo during a trip to Munich, Germany. Where I come from, Ukraine, children don’t always get to play freely in parks. When the air raid sirens go off, they must run to shelters to stay safe from missile attacks. That’s our reality.
But when I arrived in Munich and saw children laughing, running, and dancing in the open without fear, it struck me. This is what peace looks like.
For Ukrainians, peace means something very simple: being able to go outside with your child, laugh together, dance, and talk to the sky without having to worry about what might fall from it.
Please don’t take it for granted.

Discover more: Shortlist 2025