Visual Dialogue on Biodiversity, Climate Change and the Environment

An International Photographic Competition organized by East-West Center Association (EWCA) Islamabad Chapter (I/C)

ALOHA to everyone,

“Art for social change” is a movement that is increasingly addressing challenging social issues through the creative arts. Socially engaged art can provide a platform for reflection, creating demands for change and collaboration. It can reach out to large audiences and thus become a part of global efforts to address climate change.

The effects of climate change, environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity  are being experienced by people across the globe in different forms including extreme temperatures events, flash floods, droughts, land habitat degradation, climate migration, pollution, human health loss,  water stresses and loss of plants and animals on a massive scale. The situation requires actions in multiple spheres to mitigate both the causes and effects of human activities on earth.

East-West Center Association (EWCA), an alumni body of the EWC, Hawai’i, Islamabad Chapter (I/C) has been collaborating in “Art for Climate Change” activities in collaboration with Gallery 6 Islamabad and the Pakistan Ministry of Climate Change since 2016.  Continuing our activities on environmental issues, the Chapter is now organizing this international photographic competition to promote the EWC’s Mission of better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific. This will also bring closer the photographers of the 24 countries/regions to appreciate biodiversity, climate change, environmental degradation and conservation efforts.

The photographs should serve as a product that would attract media, groups, individuals and other stakeholders for creating and spreading awareness about factors leading to environmental degradation and climate change and its resultant negative impacts. These photographs would focus on the negative impacts of excessive consumption of fossil fuel, on biodiversity, land degradation through erosion, rapid deforestation, and effects on humans including looming water crisis, etc. This in turn should lead to critical thinking, inspire ideas and elicit actions for spreading/creating awareness about these factors and combating their negative effects.

Each individual/photographer may send three images,  until 15 September, 2021 (through the following link given below)

https://forms.gle/M2LYuU8hnToVYaeo9

The photographs should be of reasonable resolution to be seen clearly. However, higher resolution copies (of the submitted photographs) will be requested for the entries that are shortlisted for exhibition. Therefore, photographers should take their images in the highest possible resolution provided by their equiopment and initially submit lower resolution images.  

A panel of expert judges (including international photographers) will select 5 most outstanding entries, as well as other images for exhibition.  Results will be announced in mid-September. The top  five (05) winners will be presented awards of US$ 300 each.

An e-catalogue with the best photographs will be created and circulated to all the chapters, EWC and the  shortlisted participants. The Chapters and EWC will have the privilege to use as many photographs as desired in suitable ways. The only condition being acknowledgement of credit to the photographer, the project and the organizers.

Selected photographs will be printed in large sizes on canvas or paper and exhibited at Gallery 6 Islamabad in October 2021. Extensive coverage will be given through press, TV and social media, both nationally and internationally.  Similar exhibitions may be organized on site or virtually by the other Chapters.  EWCA I/C will provide all necessary assistance.

The FAQs appear below; for any further queries, please send an email to [email protected]

Let’s join hands to shine as a EWCA Community.

MAHALO,

Syed Akif, Team Leader of the Project

FAQs:

What is the Visual Dialog on Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Environment (VDBCE)?

The Visual Dialog (VDBCE) on is a photographic competition for members, alumni and citizens  of all  24 countries where the 50 EWC Chapters are located. This competition is being organized globally by the EWC Alumni Association Islamabad Chapter (EWCA/I). The theme of the competition is “Climate Change”.  

2.         What is the purpose of VDBCE?

VDBCE is primary a project for alumni engagement. It aims to engage alumni all the 50 chapters worldwide. and their families.  Secondary objectives include contributing to global efforts for mitigating climate change through creative means and contiuing the work of the EWCA/I  on the theme of “Art for Climate Change” activities of which have continued since 2016. 

3.  Why have “Biodiversity, Climate Change and Environment” been chosen as the theme?

These subjects have been chosen as the theme for this exhibition as environmental degradation is the single biggest existential threat to human well-being, future development and security. Its cross cutting, multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral nature necessitates a response that is integrated not just for effective scientific and technological planning, implementation and monitoring, but one which should be communicated to wider, and more general, audiences through each and every means possible.

4. What are the requirements for submitting the entries?

The requirements for submitting entries are:

(i)            Participants must be citizens of one of the 24 countries/ regions where the 50 EWCA chapters are operating. These are:

Bangladesh

Cambodia

China

India

Indonesia

Japan

Korea

Laos

Latin America

Malaysia

Mongolia

Myanmar

Nepal

Ontario 

Pakistan

Palestine

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Timor

Thailand

USA

Vietnam

(ii)           Any photographic equipment may be used by the photographer under whose name the entry is being submitted.

(iii)         entries may be sent until September 15, 2021 (23.59 GMT), the last day for submission; multiple entries should be serially numbered (under the space for “Information about photograph”)

(iv)         Entries are to be submitted through the following link:

https://forms.gle/M2LYuU8hnToVYaeo9

for any further queries or clarifications, please send an email to [email protected]