The United Nations has designated 2014 as the International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has stated “is an opportunity to appreciate the extraordinary resiliency and rich cultural heritage of the people of Small Island Developing States.”
According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, islands are not only home to 600 million people but also to numerous ecosystems, from mountain forests to wetlands, mangroves and coral reefs which are extremely important because they provide many of the resources that support economies and livelihoods. This year as the world celebrates Island Biodiversity, UNEP CEP wants to know what biodiversity looks like through your eyes.
The International Day For Biological Diversity (IBD), the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) sub-programme at United Nations Environment Programme Caribbean Environment Programme (UNEP CEP), has launched a photo competition entitled “Biodiversity Through Your Eyes” emphasising the importance of biodiversity to livelihoods in islands.
The competition complements this year’s IBD theme of Island Biodiversity by raising awareness and celebrating the beauty, uniqueness and importance of our islands’ natural resources through images.
It is open to interested persons of all ages, whether professional or amateur. Photos will be judged on originality, beauty and ability to capture the theme. Entrants can submit their photos to rcu@cep.unep.org by 31 July, 2014.
Winners will be announced on 15 August, 2014. The winning photos will be featured in the 2015 UNEP CEP Calendar and future UNEP CEP publications with full credit given to the photographer. For further details on submission requirements visit the UNEP CEP website or www.cep.unep.org.
