Calling young photographers!
You could be awarded the chance to join world renowned photographers on a trip to Ethiopia
To mark the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on 20 November 2009, the World Photography Organisation, Sony and the United Nations Children’s Fund, are giving six young photographers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Ethiopia for a photographic workshop complete with mentoring from acclaimed photographer and humanitarian Reza.
For the chance to join the field trip, young photographers between 12 and 18 are being invited to log on to www.worldphotographyawards.org/unicef and show their support for children’s rights by pledging a single photograph, accompanied by a written pledge, highlighting one of the five fundamental children’s rights:
o The right to survival;
o to education;
o to health;
o to protection from harm, abuse and exploitation;
o and to be heard
Six selected young photographers will attend the Sony World Photography Awards and World Photography Festival in Cannes, France in April 2010 where they will collect their award. They will then attend a workshop in Ethiopia for young photographers in Summer 2010.
The field trip to Ethiopia will be run by UNICEF in conjunction with EYE SEE, a photo-project that gives children all over the world, training so they may learn photographic skills. EYE SEE is supported by Sony Corporation and UNICEF and the goal of its workshop in Ethiopia is to teach children photography techniques and provide them with a fun and compelling tool with which to capture images of their lives. All the young people will receive mentoring from acclaimed photographer and humanitarian Reza.
Reza and other world renowned photographers including Jonathan Torgovnik, Mary Ellen Mark, Carol Allen Storey and Bruce Davidson have already made photo-pledges to support children’s rights along with celebrity UNICEF Ambassadors including David Beckham and Ewan McGregor who have pledged images personally chosen from field-trips they have been on with UNICEF.
Astrid Merget, Creative Director, World Photography Organisation said: “The World Photography Organisation and its Academy Members are privileged to work with UNICEF and EYE SEE on this initiative which not only enables young photographers to use photography to become advocates for children’s rights but also equips them with the skills to practice photography in the future. We wish young photographers everywhere the best of luck”.
Ellen Tolmie, Senior Photography Editor, UNICEF said: “UNICEF is thrilled that the Convention of the Rights of the Child has been chosen by the World Photography Awards this year as the focus of its annual campaign. Inviting young people from around the world to participate offers an opportunity for children’s visual expressions to be seen internationally. Additionally there is a possibility of winning participation in a photography workshop with their peers in a developing country.”
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20th November 1989 and established a set of fundamental rights for all children and young people that protect them against violence, discrimination and harm. Today, the CRC has been signed by almost every single country, making it the most widely ratified human rights agreement in the world.
Great progress has been made in the past 20 years, including improvements to under-five child mortality and falling numbers of children working in hazardous labour. However, major challenges remain. Between 500 million and 1.5 billion children experience violence annually; 150 million children aged between five and 14 are engaged in child labour and more than 1 million children are detained through justice systems around the world at any one time.
[ Enter your Pledge Photo at: Sony World Photography Awards ]Related Link: