Photo Essays

For years synonymous with for sectarianism, a fifteen-year-long civil war, car bombings and suicide attacks, Beirut is slowly undergoing a transformation. Where once militias on either side of the Green Line used graffiti to mark their territory, a group of artists is adding new colour to the streets of the Lebanese capital. Despite the many images highlighting Lebanon′s current political and social dilemmas, there is one overriding message: unity and peace. By Changiz M. Varzi

Iranian politicians like to refer to their country as an "island of stability" in the Middle East. But the country has severe environmental problems and nobody feels responsible – with wide-reaching consequences. By Shabnam von Hein

On the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2006, Harar in eastern Ethiopia is truly a place apart. Considered the fourth holiest city of Islam and boasting 102 shrines and nearly 100 mosques, Harar is a unique blend of the African and Islamic. With its particular character and architecture, animated markets, crumbling walls and charming people, a visit to Harar is likely stepping back in time. By Pascal Mannaerts

The D′Arcy carnival procession in Iran took place in 1933. Under the regime of Reza Shah Pahlawi thousands of carnival revellers, floats and marching bands moved through the streets of Teheran. The following photographs show impressions of Iran′s historic carnival.

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. On the tenth day, Ashura (the number ten in Arabic) will be celebrated to commemorate the massacre of Hussein and 72 of his relatives and companions by the Umayyad Caliphate in Iraq in the 7th century. By Eric Lafforgue

In the Palestinian village of Al-Baqa'a to the east of the city of Hebron, is one of the region's oldest vineyards – surrounded by an Israeli settlement. The Al-Natsheh family first planted a total of 4,000 vines on their plantation back in 1956. Impressions by Mohammad Alhaj

You won′t find cockfights or bullfights in the west of Turkey. Instead, elaborately decorated camels enter the ring here – to the pride of their owners. By Nina Niebergall

Iran has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of homeless people in the past few years. Rights activists blame President Rouhani, who promised social justice during his election campaign, for the problem. By Keivandokht Ghahari

Every year, Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on 6 January with a festive mass led by Patriarch Bartholomew I in the Church of St George in Istanbul. The church service ends with the traditional Blessing of the Waters at the banks of the Golden Horn, where young men jump into the ice-cold water to retrieve a golden cross. Impressions by Ulrich von Schwerin

He travels to Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria. There’s hardly any war region that he hasn't visited. And usually, he comes back with highly moving pictures. By Bettina Baumann