By Neo Kolane
The European Union (EU) Delegation to Lesotho is running a photo competition for young people in the country.
The competition was inspired by the recent EU Beach clean-up campaign.
The event was part of the Orange-Senqu River #SourcetoMouth clean-up campaign implemented by the EU together with the government of Lesotho, the ReNOKA programme, and the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM).
The clean-up of the Mohokare River, a tributary of the Orange-Senqu River at Ha Thetsane Lesia, united partners, volunteers, and 200 students from four schools in Maseru and Berea on September 22, 2023
The photo competition started on October 9 and ends on November 9, 2023 under the theme ‘Imagining a Clearer Future’. It urges contestants to focus their lens on the natural and human landscape of Lesotho, and the impact of waste on pristine environments.
The competition aims to harness the power of photography by capturing the beauty of Lesotho’s landscapes and rivers while imagining a cleaner, plastic-free future.
A recent statement by the EU invites people aged between 18 and 35 to participate.
Participants can enter the competition by taking a photograph using their cellphone or camera and sharing it with the Delegation of the EU in Lesotho via a Google Form.
The competition comprises three categories, allowing participants to express their unique
perspective
• Land: Entrants can capture the impact of pollution on land showcasing the need to protect
soil.
• Water: This category encourages participants to explore and photograph different aspects
of Lesotho waters. The emphasis will be on what water means to local communities and the
impact of pollution.
• People: Participants can also showcase the connection between natural landscapes and
people. Sustainable land management, water collection, waste collection, traditional
practices, and ceremonies, or other activities that revolve around land and water can be
captured.
Participants should submit their photos with their name, age, address, village title of picture, as well as date and location where the picture was shot.
“Each participant is allowed a maximum of one entry per category and only original
work can be submitted by the respective photographer.
“Contestants should capture the essence of Lesotho’s natural beauty and the importance of preserving it. No photographic experience is required. Winners will be officially announced on 27 November 2023,” the statement reads.
Winners will get M750 (first prize), M500 (second prize), and M250 (third prize) respectively.
The Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Lesotho, Paola Amadei, said for a better future and for a cleaner and more sustainable Lesotho, the starting point is imagining it.
Amadei urged young people to communicate in images how they imagine Lesotho and how waste and pollution are defacing the land and its waters and affecting the livelihood of communities.
