Award Ceremony for the “Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest”

The Award Ceremony will be organized in Beijing, China, on the occasion of International Peace Day (21 September), in partnership with the China World Peace Foundation. It will bring together more than 400 participants, including the winners and members of the Selection Committee, representatives of participating Member States, youth associations and communities.

The International Photo Contest, ”Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads”, was open from 11 April to 22 July 2018. It was organized within the context of UNESCO's “Silk Roads Online Platform” and Youth Programme. The main objective was to raise young people’s interest in the Silk Roads. It was also a way to encourage them to share their unique perspectives about the common heritage that developed along these historical Routes of Dialogue. This was achieved by using photography as a tool to highlight significant contributions of the Silk Roads within the current context of globalization. This is crucial for promoting mutual understanding, a culture of peace, and international cooperation.

The contest was divided into two categories: 14-17 years old, and 18-25 years old. Following a call for participation, 6.625 submissions from 100 different countries were received. A Selection Committee, comprised of six renowned professional photographers, examined the photos while receiving the honorary support of famed photograph Reza. They selected three winners from each age category. In addition to the winners, the Selection Committee also chose 2 Honorable Mentions, as well as 70 photographs that best represented the spirit of the contest.

A Panel Discussion entitled, “Youth’s Visions on the Silk Roads”, will be organised to allow young people to share their views, and discuss the ways and means to enhance youth’s involvement in the Silk Roads. It is here that the Photo Exhibition will be presented for the first time.

The photographs will also be published in a photo album that will be distributed to different stakeholders. They will also be displayed in a traveling exhibition that will circulate throughout various countries. This will help to raise youth’s awareness and involvement of their shared history and values.