For thousands of years the Silk Roads have been an extensive network of trade and communication routes which have connected civilizations and brought peoples and cultures from across the world into contact with each other.
As well as permitting the exchange of merchandise, they facilitated the interaction of ideas, cuisines, languages and fashions, shaping the modern cultures and identities of the contemporary world.
Now, UNESCO calls on young people around the world, aged 14 to 25 years old, to pick up their cameras and send their best photos to the 6th edition of our Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads contest.
©Anshul Khatri / UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads All rights reserved
The UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads photo contest, part of the Organization’s Silk Roads Programme of the Social and Human Sciences Sector, promotes photography as a tool for encouraging cultural interaction, fostering mutual understanding, and promoting peace among the people living in the regions connected by the Silk Roads.
This year, the theme of the 6th edition is “Life Celebrations”, inviting young photographers to explore and capture the essence of cultural celebrations along the historic Silk Roads.
This theme is more relevant than ever in the current global landscape marked by escalating conflicts, economic instability, and the climate crisis, where young people are facing unprecedented levels of discouragement. Visually capturing and celebrating life also aims to engage youth in positive and hopeful paths and create a digital space to foster this mindset.
Photographers exploring the theme of “Life Celebrations” along the Silk Roads might capture the following:
Birth and Naming ceremonies.
Heartfelt commemorations of anniversaries symbolising the passage of time and the endurance of relationships.
Symbolic rites of passage ceremonies.
Colourful and festive engagement ceremonies and weddings showcasing cultural traditions and the union of families.
Traditional and modern celebrations of seasonal transitions, such as Spring or Autumn Festivals, such as Nowruz, and harvest festivals, reflecting the cyclical nature of life and the rhythms of nature.
Events and celebrations: including rituals, festivals, and pilgrimages that honour spiritual beliefs and cultural heritage.
Photo entries will be examined by an International Selection Committee composed of the following photographers: GMB Akash (Bangladesh), Fatimah Hossaini (Afghanistan), Liang Li (China), Mustafa Seven (Türkiye), and Osama Silwadi (Palestine).
Key Information
Deadline: Sunday 14 July 2024, at 23:59:59 (GMT +1).
Themes: Life Celebrations
Two Categories: 14 to 17 years old and 18 to 25 years old
Prize: Three winners in each age category will receive a professional camera.
First place winners will receive a professional camera. Second place winners will receive a semi-professional camera. Third place winners will win a standard-model digital camera.
Around 60 of the best photos from the contest will appear in a professional photo album “Youth Lens on the Silk Roads” and might be showcased in exhibitions held worldwide.
More about the album:https://unescosilkroadphotocontest.org/en/photo-albums
PARTICIPATE NOW:https://unescosilkroadphotocontest.org/en/participate
More information on the photo contest:https://unescosilkroadphotocontest.org/zh-hans
More information on the Silk Roads Programme:https://zh.unesco.org/silkroad/
Contact:silkroadsphotocontest@unesco.org