Nepal: UN launches photo contest on disaster risk
Kathmandu - Nepal is at high risk of natural hazards such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, fires, cyclonic winds, hailstorms, and drought which can lead to hunger and epidemic outbreaks in their aftermath.
Among the major natural hazards, floods and landslides are the most recurrent in Nepal. More people are killed by disasters in Nepal compared to any other country in South Asia; on average two lives are lost to natural disasters every day. As the Koshi River flood disaster has vividly demonstrated, outdated and under-serviced infrastructure, such as dams, barrages and embankments, add to the disaster risk in the country. A devastating earthquake does not occur frequently, and hence its impact is not reflected in statistics covering the past 30-40 years. However, should it occur, the damage would be significant. The entire country falls in a high earthquake intensity belt.
“Visualising and understanding this risk and communicating it to both the general public and decision makers is important and urgent.” says Ms. Wendy Cue, Senior Disaster Risk Reduction Advisor. “In this regard, the Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium is organizing a photography contest under the theme “Photos of Risk” to advance risk reduction by using photographs as a means to communicate key hazards.”
The objective of this photo competition is to get as many photo enthusiasts to think about disaster risk management and raise awareness and advocate for the need to address risk throughout the country through their photographs. The contest is open to professional as well as non-professional photographers and invites submissions in four categories; Schools and Hospital Safety, Emergency Response, Flood Management (Koshi river) and Communities.
There is no entry fee to enter this contest. Prizes include Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 15,000 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners. 5 Special Mention prizes will be awarded in each of the 4 categories. Winning photographs will also be used in presentations, publications, websites and photography exhibitions, including a traveling exhibition that will commence after the contest period.
Photographers can make submissions online on the contest website: http://un.org.np/nrrc/photosofrisk or email submissions to photosofrisk@gmail.com or post a CD to Photos of Risk, PO Box: 8975 EPC 1516, Kathmandu, Nepal or drop submissions off at UN offices in Dadeldhura, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar.
Submission deadline for this contest is Wednesday, 24th November, 2010.
Members of the Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium are the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and the World Bank in support of the Government of Nepal.
For further press information please contact:
Ram Babu Shah
National Information Officer
UN Information Centre
UN House, Pulchowk
PO Box 107
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-1-55 23 200 ext 1600
Fax: 977-1-55 43 723
Email: ram.shah@undp.org