VINCENT TREMEAU — ONE DAY I WILL

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

It has been six years since photographer Vincent Tremeau started asking children this question whenever he was on assignment overseas.

In the Central African Republic (CAR), Vincent met aspiring diamond collectors, a pilot, and shopkeepers. In Mali and Niger, journalists, nurses, and farmers. In Congo, almost half the boys came dressed as soldiers. In every country, there were teachers. In Iraq, there was a sailor who had never seen the sea.

Mostly aged between 6 and 18 years old, the children featured at the exhibition have dressed up to show us who they want to be when they grow up, using costumes and props from their immediate surroundings. By tapping into each child’s vision for the future, we get a unique glimpse of their current circumstances and challenges.

Combining an artistic approach with a documentary purpose, the images highlight the crucial role of education for boys and girls in humanitarian crises, for securing their safety and future opportunities. They are a testimony to the vulnerability, resilience and creativity of today’s youth and how they can shape the future.

This autumn marks 75 years since the founding of the United Nations, the world’s most ambitious peace project to date. It is a moment to take stock and celebrate the people working for a better future. Every day, humanitarian workers from international agencies, NGO staff and diplomats around the world do everything they can to save more lives and better protect children trapped in crises. This also includes Estonia. Development cooperation and humanitarian aid are an inseparable part of Estonian foreign policy. It is our duty to assist people in need and leave no one behind.

For a world with fewer conflicts, we must all remember not only to dream but also to take action. What can you do to help?

As part of the exhibition, a number of events will take place, from tours with the photographer and discussions focused on peacebuilding, the protection of human rights, and development cooperation. More information will be available on the Facebook pages of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and the Juhan Kuus Documentary Photo Centre.

The exhibition was produced as a result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and the Juhan Kuus Documentary Photo Centre.

Curators: Kristel Laur and Liisa Kivimäe

Acknowledgments: United Nations OCHA, Join UN75, Telliskivi Loomelinnak, Joon, Taevas Ogilvy, Tikkurila Eesti, Ajar Stuudiod, Balmerk Estonia, Hektor Container Hotel, Kaisa Kaer, Ilmar Kurvits, Kaspar Kaur, Jason Värk