The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Olympus Corporation and the AFP Foundation have announced a photography competition entitled “Picture This: Caring for the Earth”. Its aim is to portray the people of Africa as stewards and protectors of their environment, and photos submitted for the contest must illustrate that theme. Special attention will be given to photos that take into account the role that women can and do play in that regard. There are two categories: individual photos (up to 5 entries per person) and photo essay (one photo essay, 4-10 photos per essay, per person). You may only enter one category. The top three winners in each category will receive Olympus cameras. Once again, and as with every competition, we encourage you to read the rules before entering.

Website: Picture This: Caring for the Earth

UnDP announcement

PICTURE THIS: CARING FOR THE EARTH: The UNDP–Olympus-AFP Foundation Photo Contest

With a presence on the ground in more than 160 countries, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is dedicated to helping countries fulfill the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); now more than ever, achieving MDG 7 – ensuring environmental sustainability – has become a crucial component of its development work, as the probable destructive impacts of climate change are becoming clearer. This is especially true in Africa where water scarcity, crop failures and health risks associated with temperature changes are already being seen.

While the poorest in these developing countries are often the first to feel the effects of environmental degradation and climate change, they should not always be seen as helpless. They also need to be seen for who they are: the stewards of their environment. They are the true experts and potentially the most powerful advocates for protecting the environment. There is a need to highlight the positive, even on a small scale, as opposed to always underscoring the negative.

As part of a number of awareness raising initiatives in the run up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December, UNDP is organizing a photo contest to highlight how the people of Africa are working towards MDG 7 by mitigating the effects of climate change and environmental degradation in their countries, cities, and communities. The aim is to raise the visibility of solutions as opposed to capturing the damage.

About the Contest

The photo contest “Picture This: Caring for the Earth” is jointly sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme, the Olympus Corporation and the AFP Foundation.

Its aim is to portray the people of Africa as stewards and protectors of their environment, and photos submitted for the contest must illustrate that theme. Special attention will be given to photos that take into account the role that women can and do play in that regard.

Photos submitted for the contest should also document people in Africa working to mitigate or prevent the effects of climate change or environmental degradation in general. They should be taken from a journalistic sensibility and tell a human story. They could profile a breaking news story, or an on-going project; they could also profile a particular African and her or his work, or a community and its work.

There are two categories: individual photos (up to 5 entries per person) and photo essay (one photo essay, 4-10 photos per essay, per person). You may only enter one category.

You must enter as either a professional or an amateur.

You must have lived in a country of Africa for at least the past 12 months.

The top three winners in each category will receive Olympus cameras. The winning photos and photo essays will be displayed on the websites of all three sponsors and shown in at least two exhibitions in Africa and the United States. The first prize winners will be flown to New York for an awards ceremony. One first prize winner in the professional category will also be eligible for a fellowship through the AFP Foundation.

Click here to read the full list of rules and disclaimers.

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