The World Photography Organisation (WPO) and Sony have announced a partnership with Save the Children for the 2011/12 Focus Award. The 2011/12 award will focus on Save the Children’s emergency relief work in order to raise the profile of under-reported emergencies and the importance of the Children’s Emergency Fund in responding immediately to disasters. Jasmine Whitebread, Chief Executive of Save the Children International comments: “Save the Children is delighted to partner with the World Photography Organisation and Sony to draw attention to the millions of children caught up in disasters around the world every year… This partnership will help us raise the profile of ‘forgotten’ emergencies and help save more children’s lives.”

Website: Save the Children

Sony Press Release

World Photography Organisation and Sony partner with Save the Children

The World Photography Organisation and Sony are delighted to announce today, Wednesday 27 April, a partnership with Save the Children for the 2011/12 Focus Award.

Each year WPO collaborates with an international charity for the special Focus Award, dedicated to using photography in order to raise awareness on a particular global issue.

The 2011/12 award will focus on Save the Children’s emergency relief work in order to raise the profile of under-reported emergencies and the importance of the Children’s Emergency Fund in responding immediately to disasters.

Tatsuya Akashi, Vice President of Digital Imaging at Sony Europe, said: ‘We are proud to support the invaluable work carried out by Save the Children and provide a photographic platform to document the importance of these relief efforts.’

Jasmine Whitebread, Chief Executive of Save the Children International comments: “Save the Children is delighted to partner with the World Photography Organisation and Sony to draw attention to the millions of children caught up in disasters around the world every year. Our children’s emergency fund helps us to respond immediately when disaster strikes. Save the Children has responded to emergencies around the world including the earthquake in Haiti, the floods in Pakistan, the food crisis in Niger and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as many others which never make it onto our TV screens. This partnership will help us raise the profile of “forgotten” emergencies and help save more children’s lives.”

Scott Gray, Managing Director of the World Photography Organisation adds: “The principal aim of the Focus Award is to harness the power of photography and, through our global networks, engage with photographers of every ability in order to highlight the important work being carried out by organisations such as Save the Children.”

The Save the Children programme, which was unveiled at the Gala Ceremony for Sony World Photography Awards 2011 at the Odeon Leicester Square, will open on 1 June 2011 along with the 2012 competition.

WPO are the organizers of the Sony World Photography Awards, the leading international photography awards programme for student, amateur and professional photographers. Previous Focus Award charities have included UNICEF and the Princes Rainforests Project.

Your Comments