Join 2025 UNESCO photo story contest on water

Disappearing glaciers, water storage and redefining the concept of 'water towers' are key themes of the 2025 UN World Water Development Report. Through the 2025 Walk of Water contest, UNESCO and partners are looking for photo stories that highlight the importance of these issues:

What is a photo story?

A photo story is a means of visual storytelling, narrating a series of images to provide insight into a specific topic.

We are looking for powerful photo stories highlighting the critical issues of disappearing glaciers, celebrating the diverse ways water is stored, and redefining the concept of 'water towers.'

Photographs and text should:

• Document the impact of climate change and glacial retreat on nature and people from source-to-sea.
• Capture the essence of both natural and built water storage, while acknowledging their changing environments and landscapes.
• Explore how new, metaphorical 'water towers' are emerging. This could include innovative water management solutions, alternative sources of freshwater, or even artistic contributions.

Each submission must include the following:

• Photos: 5-10 photographs that tell a (photo) story (.jpg or .png, with a resolution of at least 3872x2592)
• Story: A narrative of up to 400 words (minimum 100 words) that tells the story behind the photographs
• Captions: Each photo should be numbered and include a small caption (example: 1-The Po River is a vital lifeline for the community, providing essential resources such as drinking water, irrigation for agriculture, and a habitat for wildlife. A heron stands gracefully on the riverbank., 2-...)
• Signed photo license: Sign the agreement and submit it with your application (see here)

To participate, please submit your photo story entries through one of the following:

• Picter platform (link), or
• Through this Google form (link)

The submission deadline is 8 December 2024.

A jury composed of experts in the field will review the submissions based on how well they raise awareness on the themes, including through writing style, originality, theme and photo quality, among others. The total prize money for the contest is 15.000 EUR, and the winners' photo stories will be showcased on a dedicated website.

Share your vision and creativity with us and contribute to raising awareness on these important topics!

2023/2024 photo story contest winners can be found here.