Expo 2020 Dubai photo contest for GCC youngsters

RIYADH: Expo 2020 Dubai has launched a photography competition for GCC youths in collaboration with the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA).
The new photography competition which has been introduced for young people across the GCC, aged 16-25, will end Sept. 30, 2016, with the winners announced at the 2016 edition of YouthConnect, to be held in Dubai in November.
There are three categories, each matching a subtheme of Expo 2020, which bears the overall theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”
The themes include: Opportunity is about unlocking the potential within individuals and communities to shape their future; Mobility examines the creation of smarter and more productive movements of people, goods and ideas; and Sustainability, which looks at ways that we can best utilize and live in balance with our world.
Speaking on behalf of HIPA, its secretary general, Ali bin Thalith said: “We are delighted to be part of YouthConnect for a second year and to be working with the team at Expo 2020 in inspiring the youths of today to continue developing their creativity. Photography has always transcended boundaries, connecting people, with the ability to communicate without words. This is an even stronger statement today as we see how integral visual art has become in how the youths of today communicate and express themselves.”
Entries will be assessed on both technical skills and relevance to the subthemes by a jury comprising both HIPA and Expo 2020 representatives.
Ten entries from each category will be shortlisted and showcased across the two days of YouthConnect. The winning entry from each category will then be revealed at an awards ceremony. Winners will each receive a Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera, as well as a place at a two-day HIPA practical workshop. The competition will also include the People’s Choice Award, with members of the public invited to vote online for their favorite entry.
“Young people are at the heart of our plans and aspirations for Expo 2020, and we are always looking for new and inspiring ways to engage with them. During the highly successful photography workshop, which ran during last year’s YouthConnect event, we caught a glimpse of the UAE’s young creative talent, their genuine passion for photography and their ability to capture our iconic surroundings with flair and imagination. Now, as we open the event to the wider region and continue our relationship with the internationally renowned HIPA, we are excited to call on the GCC’s young people to join us as co-creators on our journey to 2020,” Manal Al-Bayat, vice president of engagement, Expo 2020 Dubai, said
Following on from the success of last year’s inaugural event, YouthConnect 2016 will be a two- day festival for more than 1,000 young people from across the GCC, featuring a wide range of hands-on workshops, inspirational speeches and engaging discussion corners, as well as all important opportunities for networking and some very exciting entertainment.
Those interested in entering the photography competition have been invited to submit their photos via the official HIPA website. For more information, including the terms and conditions of the competition, please visit http://www.hipa.ae/en/expo2020-youth-connect-2016/introduction.