WIPO Photography Prize for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Youth 2023
Through this activity, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) celebrates and makes widely known the creativity of young members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Participation encourages Indigenous and local community 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, as well as how the protection of traditional cultural expressions relates to intellectual property rights.
Theme of the Photography Prize
How We Wear Our Culture Is How We Tell Our Stories
Under the theme, How We Wear Our Culture Is How We Tell Our Stories, young members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are invited to take and submit photographs that deliver an important message about their communities’ clothing.
The photographs would, for example, depict clothing that reflects cultural identity or cultural significance and embodies traditional designs and/or contemporary designs that are tradition-based and still reflective of the community’s cultural identity. The clothing may be everyday clothing or garments, textiles, or clothes worn for special occasions. “Clothing” includes headdresses, footwear and jewelry.
Awards
Shortlisted and winning photographs will be announced on the WIPO website.
Winners will receive a variety of awards, including photography equipment with a total value of up to:
- CHF 3,500 (1st place)
- CHF 2,500 (2nd place)
- CHF 1,500 (3rd place)
Get inspired by the 2021-2022 edition
Eligibility
Participants should be members of Indigenous Peoples or local communities located in one of the 193 WIPO’s Member States and be under 30 years old on the closing date for submissions (July 2, 2023). For participants not of legal age (e.g., 18 years old), authorization from a legal guardian is required.
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. Combined 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 for up to two years 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.
Judging process
Photographs will be judged on a technology-neutral basis, that is, without considering the participants’ professional experience or background or the use of professional or special equipment.
The evaluation criteria for applications 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 and other persons knowledgeable on the theme. WIPO will, in consultation with the judges, review and decide if the entries submitted comply with all the requirements outlined in the Photography Prize rules 
.
All accepted photographs and other submission 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 November 2, 2023.
Advisory Board
WIPO would like to acknowledge the advice and support provided by the members of the Advisory Board.
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Danielle KHAN DA SILVA
Founder and Executive Director, Photographers Without Borders, Canada
Dani resides in northern Ontario, Canada, as a guest on traditional Anishinaabe, Chippewa and Mississaugas territory. She is an award-winning documentary photographer, Director, Leader and Speaker who has done two TEDx talks and has worked with hundreds of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and communities in over 50 countries.
(Photo credit: Patricia Recourt)
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Patricia ADJEI
Head of First Nations Arts, Australia Council for the Arts, Australia
Patricia is a Wuthathi, Mabuiag Islander and Ghanaian woman from Sydney and a strong advocate and writer. In 2018, she received the Churchill Fellowship to investigate the practical application of laws in the United States of America and Panama that protect Indigenous cultural rights. Patricia has served on several arts and Indigenous advisory boards and has worked across legal organizations such as WIPO, the Arts Law Centre of Australia and the National Indigenous Television.
(Photo credit: Debbie Johnston)
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Carson Kiburo KIBETT
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Jamii Asilia Centre, Kenya
Carson is an Indigenous youth leader from the Endorois People of Kenya. He is a community organizer who works on Indigenous Peoples’ rights, focusing on climate change, biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples’ cultural preservation and their nexus in intergenerational knowledge systems sharing.
(Photo credit: Carson Kiburo Kibett)
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Leonardo DE TERLIZZI
Senior Legal Advisor, International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC)
Leonardo represents the interests of creators vis-à-vis governments, legislators and international organizations such as the United Nations and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on issues related to copyright and collective management. Leonardo has been a member of the Madrid Bar Association since 2011. He is the author of several publications related to copyright and collective management.
(Photo credit: Eilon Paz)
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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 (ITU) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), received a fellowship from the International Trade Center (ICT) and Gender Mainstreaming at People Centered Internet, and worked at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) office for Eastern and Southern Africa. Nadine also served as a Community Coordinator for ConnectAID's Sustainable Development Goals Community Advocates program for youth.
(Photo credit: WIPO/Berrod)
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Monica BOȚA-MOISIN
Founder of the Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative® (CIPRI) and WhyWeCraft®, Romania
Monica is a Cultural Intellectual Property and Fashion Lawyer and a Cultural Sustainability Consultant working at the intersection of law, fashion, and intangible cultural heritage related to traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and biodiversity. She is the proponent of a soft law framework – The 3C’s Rule: Consent. Credit. Compensation© - promoting cultural sustainability in fashion and collective custodianship rights of Indigenous Peoples, Ethnic Groups and Local Communities.
(Photo credit: Alina Milbradt, 2018)
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Dali ÁNGEL PÉREZ
Coordinator of the Indigenous Youth and Women’s Program of the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Dali Ángel, a Zapotec from Oaxaca, Mexico, and former member of the Indigenous Women for the Conservation, Research and Use of Natural Resources organization, is a co-founder of the Latin American Indigenous Youth Network and a former chair of the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus.
(Photo credit: Jorge Ángel Pérez)
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 rules take precedence.