By Abdullahi Lukman
A global photography competition organised by UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme and Onewater has recognised striking visual stories exploring the connection between water and human identity, selecting winners from nearly 1,000 entries across 114 countries.
The contest, themed Identities, serves as a prelude to the UN World Water Day 2026 focus on Water and Gender. More than €10,000 in prizes were awarded, supported by the Asian Development Bank, WEX, Calumet, the Global Environment Facility’s IW:Learn Platform, and WasserStiftung.
German photographer Kristina Steiner won first prize for her documentation of Belgium’s last horse shrimpers, while the youth award went to Gastón Zilberman for capturing the struggles of the Qotzuñi people amid the disappearance of Bolivia’s second-largest lake.
Regional winners included Giacomo d’Orlando, who highlighted the Agta community’s efforts to protect the endangered Philippine crocodile, and Indonesia’s Abyan Madani, who chronicled Jakarta’s “Blue Troops.”
The competition received 8,311 images across 968 photo series submitted by 796 photographers from 114 countries, with women making up 37 percent of participants and men 63 percent.
The submissions reveal water’s vital role in daily life, culture, and survival, featuring images of sea rescue missions, Amazon droughts, traditional salt harvesting in Viet Nam, and the Haenyo sea women of Jeju Island.
Winning works will travel globally in a 2026 exhibition, following previous showcases at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and the UN Headquarters in New York.
Institutions interested in hosting the exhibition can apply until May 30, 2026.