Are you an individual who loves telling meaningful stories with photos? Then, you should apply for the Water Science Policy Photostory Competition. You stand a chance to win €400, and your photos featured in a global photobook and displayed in New York during the UN 2023 Water Conference.

Building on UNESCO’s cross-disciplinary mandate on culture, education and natural sciences, Water Science Policy, under the patronage of UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Program, is facilitating this photostory competition. It is intended to:

• Raise awareness on the intertwined relationship between water and the various dimensions of culture, from heritage to arts and creativity, in the past and present;
• Demonstrate how culture could effectively support the sustainable use and management of water;
• Inform on policy-making relating to water use and management, especially using the cross-cutting perspectives of relevant stakeholders, including artists, cultural practitioners and civil society organisations, and contribute to joint actions in the international water agenda.

Prize Details

The winning submissions of this competition wield the power to inspire millions by telling stories of how people come together to improve water resources, connect the unconnected, celebrate life and value nature.

The three winners will be officially announced on 10th February 2023 and receive a financial prize. The top 15 winning pieces will be exhibited at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York, March 2023, a prestigious event which will shape the way we manage water over the next decade. All submissions will be considered for inclusion in a photo book and for publication via Water Science Policy’s website. Anyone published receives a free photo book.

• 1st place: 400€ + published via WSPs website + featured in photo-book + free photo-book copy + displayed in New York during UN 2023 Water Conference
• 2nd place: 200€ + published via WSPs website + featured in photo-book + free photo-book copy + displayed in New York during UN 2023 Water Conference
• 3rd place: 100€ + published via WSPs website + featured in photo-book + free photo-book copy + displayed in New York during UN 2023 Water Conference
• 12 merits: published via WSPs website + featured in photo-book + free photo-book copy + displayed in New York during UN 2023 Water Conference

Rules of Submission

• 5-10 photographs which tell a story of ‘water, partnerships and cooperation’.
• Each photo should be numbered and have a short caption.
• Photos should be in .jpg or .png with a resolution of at least 1920×1080.
• Each entrant can submit up to three (3) photostories. Each story will be judged individually.
• Please also make sure to review the submissions rules.

Think this is for you? Submit your photostories to em.harrigan@unesco.org on or before 1st February 2023.

To read more about this opportunity, visit its official website here.