Turning the Tide

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About Turning the Tide

The British Council and the Permanent Mission of the Maldives to the United Nations office at Geneva would like to invite you to take part in “Turning the Tide”, a major international exhibition that will take place during the main annual Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in March 2009. The exhibition, which will be seen by Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers and thousands of delegates, will showcase the photographs and stories of climate witnesses from around the world whose lives and rights are being affected by the everyday reality of global warming.


We ask young climate witnesses from around the world to go out into their community to create a photographic record of the way in which climate change and its consequences are affecting the human environment, including the lives, livelihoods and human rights of local people. The photographs should highlight the challenges your community is facing and how you are living and coping with the changing environment. “Turning the Tide” is about your own experiences - we want to know your climate story.


If you would like to enter the competition you must be between the age of 16 and 25. By 31st January 2009 we ask you to provide a series of 10-15 photographs showing the effects of climate change in your community, a portrait photograph of yourself, biographical information and a text of up to 200 words summarising the effects of climate change on your life, on your family and on your community.


A jury including representatives from the British Council, the Maldives Mission, the Global Risk Forum Davos and UNESCO will select the best 12 submissions. The photographs, portraits and stories from these 12 submissions will be made up into posters that will be showcased at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2009. An online exhibition featuring work by all participants will accompany the event.



About the Project


There is now a clear scientific consensus that climate change is real, it is man-made and it is having an increasingly devastating impact on natural systems around the world. Yet our understanding of the social impact of global warming on the lives, rights and livelihoods of millions of people around the world is far less evolved. Bridging this gap will be crucial if the world is to move towards empathy, solidarity and action.


The “Turning the Tide” exhibition will be shown at the Palais des Nations in Geneva (UN) during the 10th Session of the Human Rights Council. It is designed to “humanise” climate change by showcasing the stories of twelve young people from around the world whose lives and rights are affected by the reality of global warming. All of their stories also highlight the everyday reality of adapting to and ultimately surviving in a changing climate. The organisers hope to show the exhibition during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in late 2009.


How to enter


First, please read the terms and conditions carefully. By entering the competition and submitting your work you agree to the terms and conditions and the standard British Council disclaimer.


To enter the competition you need to submit 10-15 photos, a short text, biographical information and a portrait photo by 31 January 2009.


Climate Photos

When you submit your photos, please give your full name and a let us have a short caption/title for each photo. Also, please indicate the location where the photo was taken. We can accept digital phots only and they have to be in jpeg, tiff or psd format. Also, please note that the minimum resolution 300 dpi.


You can submit your climate photos in one of the following ways:

•You can send them by email to turningthetide@britishcouncil.ch

You can either attach your photo to your email or send us a link to where you have published the picture.


•You can send them by post on a DVD or CD. Please make sure that they reach us no later than 31 January 2009

http://www.britishcouncil.org/switzerland-turning-the-tide.htm