Aligning with Earth Day 2022 theme of Invest in Our Planet, the American Embassy Sri Lanka is hosting a photo competition to showcase the importance and beauty of Sri Lanka’s ecosystems and the wildlife that live in them, showcasing the most critically endangered species of wild fauna and flora and applauding the innovative ways we can make a positive environmental difference.
Background
According to data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, over 8,400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered, while close to 30,000 more are understood to be endangered or vulnerable. Based on these estimates, it is suggested that over a million species are threatened with extinction.
Continued loss of species, habitats and ecosystems also threatens all life on Earth, including us. People everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet all our needs, from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. Millions of people also rely on nature as the source of their livelihoods and economic opportunities. We need to change our heavy reliance on fossil fuels, stop our over-use of non-recyclable materials and stop overfilling landfills; we need make a positive difference turning instead to renewable energy sources, taking action to fight the climate crisis and supporting a global green economy. We need to offer the Earth protection as much as she offers to us and to all living for a and fauna.
Starting from the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day is now celebrated all over the globe, a worldwide festival of environmentalism and activism, representing one important thing: hope. Not just for the future of the planet, but for our own collective future as a species.
In 2022, Earth Day’s theme Invest in Our Planet focusing the conversation on issues arising from overpopulation, loss of biodiversity, and depleting quality of the environment. We are focusing on innovative ways we can make a difference for the environment, and the imperative need to reverse the fate of the most critically endangered species, to support the restoration of their habitats and ecosystems and to promote their sustainable use by humanity. Earth Day 2022 will center on accelerating solutions to combat our greatest threat – climate change – and to activate everyone to do their part. We have a collective responsibility to help accelerate the transition to an equitable, prosperous green economy for all.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2022, people all over the world celebrate and honor the environment and draw attention to the conservation status of some of the most critically endangered species of wild fauna and flora, and to drive discussions towards imagining and implementing solutions to conserve them. Let’s invest in our Planet, and make a positive difference.
Criteria/Eligibility
Each entry must clearly connect to the competition theme: Sri Lankan Wildlife and Conservation: Invest in our Planet
Submissions are open to all Sri Lankan residents who are amateur photographers. Employees of the U.S. Embassy of Sri Lanka and their family members are not eligible to enter.
Photos must be the property of the submitter.
Photos may be digitally manipulated, however submitter must detail what manipulation was used.
Photo Contest opens on World Water Day March 22, 2022 at 00:01 IST.
Submissions are due by COB 17:30 IST April 15, 2022; submissions made after this time will not be considered. Judging begins as soon as the contest ends, and winners will be announced on Earth Day, Friday, April 22, 2022.
The top 3 entries from each category will be published on the U.S. Embassy Facebook page from April 18 – 21 for a public vote for the Most Popular Entry.
Submission limit is 3 photos per individual.
Submissions for Young-Adult and Adult categories must be large format, high resolution (at least 1,600 pixels wide or 1,600 pixels tall, if vertical format).
Photos that violate or infringe upon another person’s rights, including but not limited to copyright, are not eligible.
A submission must be an original digital photograph, taken by the submitting contestant.
All photos are subject to pre-screening to ensure compliance with these Official Contest Rules. Any photos out of compliance will not be included.
Professional photographers may not submit entries.
Participation in this contest is deemed as acceptance of these Official Contest Rules.
Categories
- Youth: up to 18 (Parental or legal guardian consent is required for participation)
- Young-Adult: 18 to 25
- Adult: 25 and older
- Mobile Device photo (e.g. Android, Iphone, Ipad)
Judging
Photos will be judged on their merit and on their connection to both the contest theme Sri Lankan Wildlife and Conservation: Invest in our Planet and Earth Day.
Special consideration will go toward photos that showcase Nationally Threatened Species for Sri Lanka.
Entries who use fraudulent methods to garner votes in the social media votes will be disqualified.
Submissions instructions
Upload your photo to an online sharing site (e.g. Flickr, Snapfish, etc.) with full/public access. Attach a link to your photo (no more than 3 photos per individual submitter) in an email to ColomboContest@state.gov with a subject line “Earth Day 2022 Photo Contest.” Submissions that do not use this subject line and individuals who send more than 3 photos will not be considered.
In the body of the email, please include the following information for each photo submission:
- Name of photographer
- Category of Submission
- Title of image
- Contact email of photographer
- Location where the photo was taken
- Date photo was taken
- A brief caption that explains how the photo relates to Earth Day and the contest theme Sri Lankan Wildlife and Conservation: Invest in our Planet (no more than 75 words).
- Device used to capture the image; and
- What, if any, digital manipulation was used
Winners
The competition winners will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2022, and will have their photo displayed in the American Center for one month.
- Each winner and/or finalist will be required to sign and return to Contest Sponsors a statement of eligibility and liability/publicity release.
- Winners will be required to provide written permission for the replication and display of the photo by the American Embassy for purposes of this contest.
- One winner and two runners-up will be selected for each category.
- The top 3 entries from each category will be published on the U.S. Embassy Facebook page from April 18 – 21 for a public vote for the Most Popular Entry.
Note: Submitters will not be compensated or reimbursed for submissions.
Prizes:
Each winning photo will be featured on the social media of the Embassy, with the back story of the photo as well as a brief bio of the photographer.
Each winning photo will be printed and displayed in the Embassy upon moving to the New Embassy Compound for public viewing.
