Expo 2020 Dubai has joined with the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) to launch a new photography competition for young people across the GCC, aged 16-25.

The competition will run until September 30, with the winners announced at the 2016 edition of YouthConnect, to be held in Dubai during November.

There are three categories, each matching a subtheme of Expo 2020, which bears the overall theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’:
Opportunity is about unlocking the potential within individuals and communities to shape their future.

Mobility examines the creation of smarter and more productive movements of people, goods and ideas, and

Sustainability, which looks at ways that we can best utilise and live in balance with our world.

Ali Bin Thalith, secretary general of HIPA, said: “We are delighted to be part of YouthConnect for a second year and to be working with the team at Expo 2020 in inspiring the youth of today to continue developing their creativity.”

“Photography has always transcended boundaries, connecting people, with the ability to communicate without words. This is an even stronger statement today as we see how integral visual art has become in how the youth of today communicate and express themselves. The Expo 2020 subthemes will challenge our young photographers and we are excited and curious to see what Opportunity, Sustainability and Mobility means to them,” he added.

Entries will be assessed on both technical skill and relevance to the subthemes by a jury comprising both HIPA and Expo 2020 representatives.  Ten entries from each category will be shortlisted and showcased across the two days of YouthConnect. The winning entry from each category will then be revealed at an awards ceremony. Winners will each receive a Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera, as well as a place at a two-day HIPA practical workshop. The competition will also include the People’s Choice Award, with members of the public invited to vote online for their favourite entry.

Manal AlBayat, vice president of Engagement, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Young people are at the heart of our plans and aspirations for Expo 2020, and we are always looking for new and inspiring ways to engage with them. During the highly successful photography workshop which ran during last year’s YouthConnect event, we caught a glimpse of the UAE’s young creative talent, their genuine passion for photography and their ability to capture our iconic surroundings with flair and imagination. Now, as we open the event to the wider region and continue our relationship with the internationally renowned HIPA, we are excited to call on the GCC’s young people to join us as co-creators on our journey to 2020.”

Following on from the success of last year’s inaugural event, YouthConnect 2016 will be a two day festival for more than 1,000 young people from across the GCC, featuring a wide range of hands-on workshops, genuinely inspirational speeches and engaging discussion corners, as well as all important opportunities for networking and some very exciting entertainment.

Keen photographers are invited to submit their photos via the official HIPA website, a statement said. – TradeArabia News Service