The UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest is a global competition that invites young people aged 14 to 25 to showcase their understanding of the shared heritage of the Silk Roads through photography. The contest promotes cultural interaction, fosters mutual understanding, and peace among people living across the Silk Roads regions. This year’s theme is “Women, Guardians of Silk Roads Heritage,” and participants are encouraged to capture the essential roles of women in preserving and transmitting the shared heritage of the Silk Roads.
The contest is divided into two age categories: 14-17 years old and 18-25 years old. Participants can submit up to 20 photographs with captions in digital format (JPEG or JPG), and the quality of the photographs must be at least 1,500 pixels wide for horizontal images and 1,500 pixels tall for vertical images. The contest is open to everyone between 14 and 25 years old, regardless of their country of residence, except employees of UNESCO and the donor, China World Peace Foundation, and their family members.
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The UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest is a great opportunity for young photographers to showcase their skills and share their perspectives on the Silk Roads heritage. The contest’s focus on cultural interaction, mutual understanding, and peace makes it an ideal platform for individuals who are passionate about promoting peace and harmony among diverse populations.
The contest’s judging criteria include originality, creativity, photographic quality, and relevance to the theme. The Selection Committee members will examine the submissions and select the winners from each age category. The prizes include professional cameras for the first-place winners, semi-professional cameras for the second-place winners, and standard-model digital cameras for the third-place winners.
In addition to the prizes, around 60 of the best photos from the contest will be featured in a professional photo album entitled “Youth Lens on the Silk Roads” and may be showcased in exhibitions organized worldwide. This provides a unique opportunity for young photographers to gain international recognition and showcase their work to a global audience.
The UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest is an excellent way for young people to develop their photography skills, learn about the Silk Roads heritage, and connect with other young people from around the world who share similar interests. The contest’s emphasis on cultural interaction, mutual understanding, and peace makes it an ideal platform for individuals who are passionate about promoting peace and harmony among diverse populations.
The Silk Roads are a network of ancient trade routes that connected civilizations and brought people and cultures from across the world into contact with one another. The Silk Roads played a significant role in shaping the cultures and identities of the contemporary world, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, cuisines, languages, and fashions.
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The Silk Roads linked vast areas of the world, originating in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, then crossing Central Asia, the Russian steppe and Indian subcontinent, the Iranian and Anatolian plateaux, and the Arabian Peninsula. They also stretched through North and Northeast Africa, from Tanzania to Morocco, before passing through Eastern and Southern Europe, reaching France and the Iberian Peninsula.
Women have played a vital role in preserving and transmitting the shared heritage of the Silk Roads. They have been instrumental in passing down cultural traditions, crafts, and knowledge from one generation to the next.
Participants in the contest can draw inspiration from various themes, including:
- Women Practicing Crafts: Women practicing crafts such as weaving, embroidery, ceramics, or pottery – or other examples of cultural heritage.
- Traditional Sports and Games: Traditional sports and games practiced or transmitted by women.
- Music and Dance: Music, musical instruments, dance, or oral storytelling performed by women.
- Culinary Traditions: Culinary traditions, gastronomy, and food production passed down through women.
- Women’s Contributions: Women as writers, educators, artists, merchants, or scientists contributing to cultural and intellectual exchanges along the Silk Roads.
Name of Organizer
UNESCO

Requirement/Eligibility
1. Open to everyone between 14 and 25 years old, regardless of their country of residence.
2. Except employees of UNESCO and the donor, China World Peace Foundation, and their family members.
3. Minors must provide written permission from their legal guardian(s).
4. Participants must have access to the Internet.
5. Photographs must be original and created by the participant.
6. Participants must certify that they alone hold all copyrights for the submitted photographs and they are original to them.
Prize
The prizes include:
- First Place: Professional camera
- Second Place: Semi-professional camera
- Third Place: Standard-model digital camera
Deadline
July 20, 2025.
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