WIPO Photography Prize for Indigenous Youth 2024

Closing date for entries: July 15, 2024, at 23:59 (Geneva time)

Theme of the Photography Prize 2024

Indigenous Peoples’ Ways of Healing and Well-Being: Honoring Our Ancestors’ Wisdom and Knowledge

Under the theme Indigenous Peoples’ Ways of Healing and Well-Being: Honoring Our Ancestors’ Wisdom and Knowledge, Indigenous Peoples' youth are invited to use photography to tell the world how their communities' lifestyles, beliefs and cultures are fundamentally related to their health and well-being.

The photograph and accompanying story could portray, for example:

protective factors that contribute to the participants’ communities health and well-being, such as traditional medicines, access to their lands, territories and resources, traditional foods, water, climate, environment, and traditional healing and healthcare practices;
risk factors challenging their ability to stay healthy; and/or
collective efforts in health promotion in the participants' communities, illustrating a holistic/"one health" approach to health and well-being ("one health" is an integrated, unifying approach to balance and optimize the health of people, animals and the environment).

Note: The participant should secure consent to display traditional knowledge and/or traditional cultural expressions of their community in the photograph, in accordance with domestic and/or customary laws. Likewise, the photograph and its description should not contain any sacred, secret, or sensitive content that could potentially disclose information meant exclusively for members of the community.

Timetable

Competition launch: April 7, 2024
Closing date for entries: July 15, 2024, at 23:59 (Geneva time)
Announcement of the shortlisted entries (the finalists): September 24, 2024
Announcement of the winning entries (the winners): October 2024

Who can participate?

Participants should be members of Indigenous Peoples located in one of WIPO’s Member States and be between 18 and 35 years old on the closing date for entries (July 15, 2024).

Eligibility

The participants must have taken the photographs and prepared the brief descriptions themselves.

Photographs must not have been previously recognized and/or awarded in another photography competition. Each participant can submit a maximum of one entry. Group entries are not allowed.

If required, the participant should secure consent to display traditional knowledge and/or traditional cultural expressions in the photograph. Likewise, the photograph should not contain any sacred, secret or sensitive content.

Copyright in the submitted materials remains with the participants. However, participants grant WIPO the right to use the materials submitted following the announcement of the winners solely for the purpose of its educational, promotional, and capacity-building activities and related communication, fully crediting the copyright owners.

Awards

Winners will receive photography equipment of a total value of up to:

USD 4,000 (1^st place)
USD 3,000 (2^nd place)
USD 2,000 (3^rd place)

Shortlisted and winning photographs will be announced on the WIPO website.

Get inspired by the previous editions

WIPO Photography Prize 2021-2022
Winners | Shortlisted | Gallery

WIPO Photography Prize 2023
Winners | Shortlisted | Gallery

How to enter

Take and submit an original photograph on the theme of Indigenous Peoples’ Ways of Healing and Well-Being: Honoring Our Ancestors’ Wisdom and Knowledge, supported by a brief description of how the photograph is related to the theme and how it expresses your vision about the theme.

Submitted photographs should follow the formatting guidelines outlined in paragraph 5 of the Photography Prize 2024 rules

Include a title as well as a brief personal profile about yourself and the Indigenous People to which you belong.
Submit your entry by July 15, 2024, through the online platform.
Materials can be submitted in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish.

Entry is free of charge. By submitting an entry to the Prize, the participant agrees to accept the Photography Prize 2024 rules

Judging process

Photographs will be judged on a technology-neutral basis, that is, without considering the participants’ professional experience or the use of professional or special equipment.

The evaluation criteria for entries are the expression of the theme; originality, creativity, and artistic expression; inspirational power; visual appeal; and community-related impact.

WIPO will appoint an external jury to shortlist several entries, followed by a selection of winners. The judges will be internationally recognized Indigenous photographers. WIPO will, in consultation with the judges, review and decide if the entries submitted comply with all the requirements outlined in the Photography Prize 2024 rules .

All accepted photographs and other submitted materials, along with the participants’ full names, may be published on the WIPO website and competition platform.

Winning participants will be notified by email and the official announcement of the winners will follow on October 2024.

Advisory Board

WIPO would like to acknowledge the valuable advice and support provided by the members of the Advisory Board.

Dr. Sungchol Kim

Unit Head on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Department of Integrated Health Services, Division of Universal Health and Life Course, World Health Organization (WHO)

Dr. Sungchol Kim leads the WHO’s Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine program, which includes supporting countries to integrate traditional, complementary and integrative medicines into health systems and healthcare services to improve people’s health and wellbeing, also with a focus on Indigenous Peoples’ communities.

Image: Courtesy of Dr. Sungchol Kim
Pauliina Nykänen-Rettaroli

Senior Technical Lead and Unit Head on Human Rights Department of Gender, Rights and Equity, Director-General’s Office, World Health Organization (WHO)

Pauliina Nykänen-Rettaroli leads the WHO’s work on health-related human rights which includes supporting countries to integrate human rights into health systems, programs and policies, to increase social participation in health decision-making and to use international human rights mechanisms to advance health-related rights.

Image: Courtesy of Pauliina Nykänen-Rettaroli
Geoffrey Roth

Vice-Chair and Expert Member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), USA

Geoffrey Roth (Lakota, Standing Rock) is an Expert Member of the UNPFII, Board Chair for Capital Native Nations, leader of the Indigenous Determinants of Health Alliance, and CEO of the Cedar Rock Alliance. He is an activist with vast experience from grassroots mobilization to Presidential Appointments (Obama Administration), and Agency leader of the Biden-Harris Transition Team.

Image: Courtesy of Exceed Photography
Nadine Hakizimana

Youth Engagement Facilitator, Office of the Assistant Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Nadine is WIPO's Youth Engagement Facilitator. She previously supported skills development programs for young migrants at the Festival Panafricain d’Alger (Panaf) in Abidjan. She interned at the International Communication Union, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, received a fellowship from the International Trade Center and Gender Mainstreaming at People Centered Internet, and worked at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS office for Eastern and Southern Africa. Nadine also served as a Community Coordinator for ConnectAID's Sustainable Development Goals Community Advocates program for youth.

Image: WIPO/Berrod

Related Materials

About the WIPO Photography Prize

Through this activity, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) celebrates and makes widely known the creativity of young members of Indigenous Peoples. Participation encourages Indigenous youth to convey an impactful message about their peoples, communities and culture through photographic storytelling.

The WIPO Photography Prize also raises awareness among young participants and their communities on how copyright can be used by them to protect their creativity expressed in the photographs.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the WIPO Photography Prize, please contact us.

For further information, see the WIPO Photography Prize rules . In case of any doubt, the WIPO Photography Prize 2024 rules take precedence.