BARAT ALI BATOOR
Art Award
Barat Ali Batoor is an Afghani photojournalist and filmmaker. A self-taught photojournalist, he risked his life as he worked for organizations like the UN, the American Embassy and other NGOs. He fled his homeland in 2012 after receiving threatening phone calls for his work on the sex trafficking of young dancing boys which went viral on the internet overnight. Batoor decided to flee his country but also promised to record the hardships asylum seekers face while running away. He recorded the first footage inside a refugee boat and captured the fears and struggles when the boat crashed.
His journey after coming to Australia has been inspiring. He volunteers tirelessly helping other members of the Hazara community. He has been nominated as the “Refugee week ambassador of the refugee council of Australia” and has won the highest award for photojournalism in Australia, “The Walkley Award”. He also won the “photo of the year” and won “best photo essay” for his images of the journey. His “fighting” attitude and his service to the refugee community make him a true champion.
