In Toby Binder’s photography project, Divided Youth of Belfast, the lack of connection between communities in Belfast, Northern Ireland is highlighted. Binder’s work provides a chronology of what it’s like to live in the wake of that division as the new generation grows up. It signifies that the sectarian divide persists, a generation and more from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Recently, his project was awarded first place in the documentary category at the 2025 Sony World Photography Awards. This recognition, the Pulitzer Prize, makes this accomplishment even more remarkable.
Binder conceived the project when he was an assistant professor. It really started to take off once he got back to Belfast after the Brexit referendum. The referendum revealed the city’s schisms, as voting tracked along the same intense sectarian divides established a generation earlier. Through his lens, Binder captures quiet and everyday moments in Belfast’s most segregated neighborhoods, employing a striking black-and-white aesthetic that enhances the emotional weight of his subjects’ experiences.
Binder primarily concentrates on the young people of Belfast. Most of them were born after the explicit peace settlement was negotiated over two decades ago. These young individuals are navigating a landscape shaped by their communities’ pasts, yet they aspire to live typical lives like their peers across Europe. They want to complete their education, find meaningful employment and live as teenagers without the threat of war hanging over them.
Most of the children I photographed in Peja/Peć were born after the peace accord. As such, they never endured the Troubles to their core. Better yet, sell them on it as an option. They have no idea except what their families and communities have informed them, Binder said. His quote served to illustrate the fact that these children had likely never seen violence firsthand. The effects from this war will always echo loud beyond their years.
The project reveals how the peace walls—physical reminders of a divided past—remain a significant part of daily life in Belfast. Most of these barriers remain intact today, defining the day-to-day lives of young people who grow up on either side. Despite this, Binder has noted a surprising trend: an increase in mixed teenage couples crossing these divides. That’s why this emerging bipartisan reality should give us all hope for a less divided and more positive future.
Binder’s creative process began in Scotland, where he had first captured images of children playing football in inner-city neighborhoods. This experience would lay the groundwork for his homecoming to Belfast. There, he immersed himself in understanding how football culture contributed to notions of community identity in a city shaped by historical divides. Further than simply using his lens to tell other people’s stories, his work shows the troubling societal patterns that plague our communities.
Moving freely between both communities, Binder’s approach fosters a unique perspective on Belfast’s divided youth. He chronicles the moments we would miss—the moments of togetherness and the moments that keep us apart. The resulting photographs form a deeply moving portrait of childhood in one of Europe’s most divided cities.
This recognition from the Sony World Photography Awards has given Binder a larger platform to continue sharing his message. He showcased his breathtaking photos and published a book that beautifully distills his adventures and reflections. In particular, he self-selected to showcase his experiences from Scotland. This decision is a testament to his belief that youth experiences are fundamentally connected across borders.
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