Photo Exhibit: Kevin Desler - A People Between

Summer of 2002. For the people of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, as well their neighbors Egypt and Turkey, this was a time of great uncertainty, an area caught in the middle. The Palestinian conflict had boiled over and war in Iraq was imminent. Anxiety and apprehension were palpable throughout the region. Yet there endured a conspicuous sense of composure. Although political realities had permeated the collective consciousness of the people, they remained largely deferential to the demands of daily life. Here, as in the rest of the world, the struggle for existence continued, complete with life's contrasts. Work, play. Anger, joy. Doubt, hope.

Taken over three months during that long, hot summer, the images presented hope to portray the true heart of the Middle East, a vibrant and honorable people simply seeking some semblance of stability and the opportunity to live a normal life.