OSCE Centre in Ashgabat announces photo contest
ASHGABAT, 21 July 2009 - The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat launched a photo contest today to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. The contest, which aims to raise awareness of several security aspects promoted by the Centre, has the following themes:
- Youth against drugs
- Preserving Turkmenistan's natural beauty and heritage
- The role of women in modern Turkmenistan
"The issues of combating drug trafficking, environmental protection, promoting gender equality and education are equally important for ensuring lasting security in the OSCE's 56 participating States," said Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
"A photo contest is an excellent opportunity for Turkmenistan's photographers to share their vision of the country's achievements in these areas within the last 10 years. We also hope that the photo contest will help discover new talents among the people of Turkmenistan and will draw more attention to the challenges of the modern world."
The top prize for a single photo (or series) is a Canon EOS-40D camera kit. The runner-up will receive a Canon PowerShot A710IS camera kit, and the photographer placing third will be awarded with a Digital Photo Frame.
There is no entrance fee. The contest is open to professional and amateur photographers residing in Turkmenistan. Prizes will be awarded only to citizens of Turkmenistan. OSCE staff members are not eligible to participate in the contest.
The OSCE promotes gender balance and encourages women to take part in the contest.
The photographs should reflect on any of the three themes, and should have been taken within the last 10 years.
Both single images and series (not more than eight photographs per series) can be entered.
The deadline for submitting photographs is 15 September 2009.
The judging will take place in October 2009. Winners will be announced at the end of October, when an exhibition of the winning images will be displayed. Another exhibition in Vienna is planned.