The winners of the ICIMOD Digital Photo Contest on ‘Water and Life’ were announced during the Centre’s activities for World Environment Day. The contest was held as a part of the celebration of ICIMOD’s 30th anniversary, and the theme was chosen to coincide with the United Nation’s International Year of Water Cooperation 2013. 

Over a month and a half, contestants submitted around 3,000 photos related to three different categories: Uses or Benefits of Water and Related Resources, Hazards, Conflicts, or Issues related to Water (or Lack Thereof), and Good Practices in Water and Related Risk Management. The photos were judged by a panel consisting of two professional photographers from Nepal, Jagdish Tiwari and Ravi Sayami, and Aditi Mukherji, a expert on water-related issues and leader of the Water and Air Theme at ICIMOD. Cash prizes of USD 1,000, 800, and 600 will be awarded to the top three photos (see list of winners below).

In addition, three People’s Choice prizes were awarded based on a week-long voting competition on the ICIMOD Facebook page. The photos with the most ‘likes’ in each of the contest’s three categories  were also disclosed. They will be awarded a cash prize of USD 200. Twenty-seven photo entries will be awarded Honourable Mentions.