Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads International Photo Contest

The UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads photo contest, part of the Organization’s Silk Roads Programme of the Social and Human Sciences Sector, promotes photography as a tool to encourage cultural interaction, foster mutual understanding, and promote peace among peoples living across the Silk Roads regions.

The photo contest provides an opportunity for young people to connect with one another in a digital space and share their creativity and vision for their future. The contest is divided into two age categories: 14–17 year olds and 18–25 year olds.

Theme

• This year, the theme of the 7th edition is “Women, Guardians of Silk Roads Heritage”, young photographers are invited to explore and capture the essential roles of women in preserving and transmitting the shared heritage of the Silk Roads.

Focus Areas

• Women practicing crafts such as weaving, embroidery, ceramics, or pottery – or other examples of cultural heritage.
• Traditional sports and games practiced or transmitted by women.
• Music, musical instruments, dance, or oral storytelling performed by women.
• Culinary traditions, gastronomy, and food production passed down through women.
• Women as writers, educators, artists, merchants, or scientists contributing to the dynamic cultural and intellectual exchanges of the Silk Roads.
• Intercommunity and multicultural gatherings led by women – during celebrations, life milestones, or everyday moments in diverse societies.
• Portraits of women from Silk Roads regions capturing their cultural identity, resilience, and knowledge, as well as moments of joy, celebration, learning, and everyday life.

Awards

• 1st Award:  A professional digital single-lens reflex camera equipped with 18-55mm lens
• 2nd Award: Semi-professional digital camera
• 3rd Award: Digital camera

Eligibility Criteria

• The photography contest is open to everyone between 14 and 25 years old, regardless of his or her country of residence, except employees of UNESCO and the donor, China World Peace Foundation, and their family members (parents, children, siblings and spouses).
• There will be two categories:
  • 14 to 17 year’s old
  • 18 to 25 year’s old
• No minors’ participation will be accepted by the Organization without their written permission

Selection Criteria

• Photographs will be selected on their originality, creativity, photographic quality and relevance to the themes of the 2025 “Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads” Photo Contest.
• The choice will be made according to the discretion of the Selection Committee.
• No appeals will be considered.

Application Requirements

• To confirm participation, each participant will have to follow the following instructions outlined:
  • Go to the Participation page
  • Upload a maximum of 20 photographs:
    • Include a caption for each photograph or series of photographs, in digital format (JPEG or JPG)
    • The quality of the photographs must be at least 1,500 pixels wide for horizontal images and 1,500 pixels tall for vertical images.
  • To participate, entrants must have access to the Internet.
  • Participation is strictly personal and the entrant cannot enter the contest on behalf of another person.
  • Participation in the photography contest implies full acceptance of these rules and all of their provisions. Non-compliance with the rules will result in disqualification of the entrant.

For more information, visit UNESCO.