The European Union Delegation to Lesotho announces a photo competition “Imagining a Cleaner Future”, inspired by the recent #EUBeachCleanUp.

The clean-up event was part of the Orange-Senqu River #SourcetoMouth clean-up campaign implemented by the EU together with the Government of Lesotho, the ReNOKA programme and the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM). The clean-up action of the Mohokare River, a tributary of the Orange-Senqu River at Ha Thetsane Lesia, united partners, volunteers, and 200 students from four schools in Maseru and Berea on 22 September 2023.

The initiative is linked to the global #EUBeachCleanUp campaign – the EU’s global campaign to raise awareness about marine pollution launched in 2017. The Delegation joined the campaign for the first time in 2022.

This photo competition, which starts on 9 October, aims to harness the power of photography to capture the beauty of Lesotho's landscapes and rivers while imagining a cleaner, plastic-free future. With cash prizes of L750 (first prize), L500 (second prize), and L250 (third prize) up for grabs, young people between 18 and 35 from all walks of life are invited to enter.

The Delegation of the European Union in Lesotho invites citizens of Lesotho between the ages of 18 and 35 to participate. The theme, "Imagining a Cleaner Future," encapsulates the essence of the competition, urging entrants to focus their lens on the natural and human landscape of Lesotho, and the impact of waste on these pristine environments.

How to enter

Participants can enter the competition by taking a photograph using their cellphone or camera and sharing it with the Delegation of the EU in Lesotho via a Google Form.

Submission form: Imagining a Cleaner Future Youth Photo Competition.

The competition comprises three categories, allowing participants to express their unique perspective:

• Land: entrants can capture the impact of pollution on land showcasing the need to protect Lesotho soil.
• Water: This category encourages participants to explore and photograph different aspects of Lesotho waters. The emphasis will be on water means to local communities and the impact of pollution on them.
• People: Participants can also showcase the connection between natural landscapes and people. Sustainable land management, water collection, waste collection, traditional practices, and ceremonies, or other activities that revolve around land and water can be displayed. Entrants are encouraged to submit their photos with their name, age, address, village title of picture, date and location where the picture was shot.  

Please note that each participant is allowed a maximum of one entry per category. Only the respective author can submit original work.

The competition runs from 9 October to 9 November 2023, giving all ample time to capture the essence of Lesotho's natural beauty and the importance of preserving it. No photographic experience is required. Winners will be officially announced on 27 November 2023.

“For a better future and for a cleaner and more sustainable Lesotho the starting point is imagining it. We ask young people of Lesotho, no matter where they live and what they do, to communicate in images how they imagine Lesotho and how waste and pollution are defacing the land and its waters and affect the livelihood of the communities,” said Paola Amadei, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Lesotho.

In addition to the youth photo, competition the EU is running a school art competition with Makebe, Mohokare, Lesia and Sefate Sa Bophelo Primary Schools, the schools that participated in the EU Beach Clean Up on the Mohokare River. Learners at these schools are invited to draw a picture on the themes of land, water or people. The school that submits the highest number of entries will win a grand prize of L5000 to be used to support the educational needs of the school, with winners selected in each grade.  

“The #EUBeachCleanUp is not a one-off activity but it entails a full programme for children to allow them to become agents of change in their communities and advocate against pollution and degradation of land and waters. They are the custodians of the incredible beauty of Lesotho natural landscapes and of a renewed covenant between the people and nature. Through art, school learners can illuminate the urgent need for preserving natural resources, inspiring change within their communities and beyond,” Ambassador Amadei added.

So, grab your cellphone, head outdoors, and help us create a visual story of Lesotho's magnificent natural landscapes while advocating for a waste-free environment. Join the EU in Lesotho's photo competition today, and let your lens tell the tale of "Imagining a Cleaner Future."

Submission form: Imagining a Cleaner Future Youth Photo Competition

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