Portrait a reminder of Syria's plight

A portrait of a Syrian village is among the photographs in this year's Waimarino Arts Awards.

The photograph of the ancient Christian village, Maaloula, was entered by Ohakune resident Celeste Ventura who is also a helper with the exhibition.

The civil war in Syria has brought the country to the world's attention. Ms Ventura lived in Aleppo, one of the major centres of conflict in Syria, for six months from 2005 to 2006. She worked as an early childhood education consultant.

The village she photographed has considerably more history: Mary Magdalene had lived in Maaloula, a village that sits on a dry creek bed and is about 40km from Damascus. Aramaic, the ancient language spoken by Jesus was still spoken there.

She loved her time in Syria, the people were "so friendly, beautiful" and she "absolutely adored" their children.

"It makes me sad that they have all left ... they had to. They've gone mostly to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey."

Tens of thousands of people had fled Syria, and sought sanctuary in refugee camps in neighbouring countries, she said.

"It makes me very sad because my time there was so wonderful."