We are pleased to share with you information about "Humans locked down, Nature unlocked" photography competition organised by the UN Economic Commission for Europe(UNECE) as a contribution toward the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
The COVID-19 outbreak is a tragic moment in human history. The pandemic has claimed many lives and continues to have an extremely negative impact on our economies and societies. It came suddenly and forced many of us into lockdown. This long period of isolation made us reflect on the vulnerability of our society and on the need to #buildbackbetter, including by promoting biodiversity and the restoration of ecosystems.
The sights of nature during lockdown kept us positive, reminding us of nature's beauty and power. While locked down at home, we have seen some remarkable images of animals walking through deserted cities, ducks and dolphins reappearing in canals and nearing shores, birds settling in gardens, butterflies flying undisturbed, plants growing in the cracks of empty streets. Images like these are unique and historical.
By taking part in this contest, your photographs will gain a chance to appear in a web-based gallery and will be promoted by the United Nations. The best 13 photographs will be used to illustrate a 2021 calendar of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe which will be widely distributed among delegates worldwide, as well as a photography exhibition which will be organized in the Palais des Nations in Geneva in autumn 2020 to celebrate and promote the start of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
These photographs will be used to reinforce the message the United Nations is trying to send: we need to take urgent action to protect and restore species’ natural habitats, use natural resources in a more sustainable manner, and preserve the environment. This action is central to a healthier environment for humans, in which nature can develop undisturbed to provide us with the essential functions such as fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink.
Join us in this global campaign, share your photographs and help spread our message to the world!