WINNERS 2019-2020

 

UNESCO is pleased to announce the winners of the second edition of the International Photo Contest "Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads".

This contest offers an exciting opportunity for young people from all over the world to capture their understanding of the shared heritage of the Silk Roads through the lens of their camera. For this edition, participants were invited to "Reveal the Silk Roads" via Gastronomy and Food Production, Music and Dance, or Traditional Sports and Games.

 

Scroll the page to discover the winners in each age category:

14-17 and 18-25 years old

 

 

WINNERS – CATEGORY 1

14-17 YEARS OLD

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1st Prize

Patria Prasasya

17 years old, Indonesia

Transaction in Lok Baintan Floating Market

Theme: Gastronomy and Food Production

 

Trading at Lok Baintan floating market on the Martapura river in Banjar District, South Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, takes place between 5:30 and 8:00 in the morning. This market is unique in that the transactions take place on the river and are not always carried out with cash, but can be undertaken via the barter of fresh fruit and vegetables. Markets occupied a crucial role on the Silk Roads, acting as sites of exchange. Not only of goods, but also of knowledge, ideas, culture and beliefs.

 


 

2nd Prize

Fenghao Yu

15 years old, China

The Wonderful Time

Theme: Traditional Sports and Games

 

A scene from daily life on Huangjueping Street in Chongqing, China. Jiaotong Teahouse is the oldest and most traditional tea house in Chongqing. Tea was one of many important gastronomic elements transmitted across the Silk Roads, which today plays a crucial social role in many cultures around the world.

 

 

3rd Prize

Rama Kaushalyan

17 years old, India

Traditional Spirituality Dance

Theme: Music and Dance

 

In Kulasekharapatnam, a small town in Tamil Nadu, India, a man dresses up as a woman Goddess and carries a hot pot with bare hands while devotees play drums. Dancing to the beat of the drums whilst holding the hot pot brings strength and spirituality. Every year on the day of Dussehra (or Vijayadashami) thousands of people gather to celebrate this ritual.

 

 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS – CATEGORY 1

14-17 YEARS OLD

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Honourable Mention

Arda Taş

15 years old, Turkey

Sheep Festival

Theme: Traditional Sports and Games

 

The Aşağıseyit village Sheep Water Jumping Race and Nomad Festival has been taking place annually on the last Saturday and Sunday of August for around 850 years. The race and festival portray the nomad way of life. According to tradition, the shepherd leads the sheep to the stream, which they then must cross without stopping. The aim is to guide the sheep across the river without stopping to drink the water. Once the shepherd goes into the water, the sheep follow.

 

 

Honourable Mention

Matin Ghezelbash

17 years old, Iran

Dancing Forms

Theme: Music and Dance

 

Dancers in Zanjan, Iran. The spirit of our times is glorified in the traditions and rituals that have been part of our ancient civilization. Happiness and goodwill flow from their dancing, bringing us closer together.

 

 

 

 

WINNERS – CATEGORY 2

18-25 YEARS OLD

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1st Prize

Aung Chan Thar

22 years old, Myanmar

Fishermen’s Daily Catch

Theme: Gastronomy and Food Production

 

Inle lake in Myanmar is home to people who build their houses on the water. The lake sustains their livelihoods, which are based around fishing, and provides both food and shelter. Myanmar’s waterways, particularly its rivers and coastline, helped forge connections with other regions along the Silk Roads, creating a vibrant hub of cultural exchange.

 

 

2nd Prize

John Leonardo Rosales Dimain IV

25 years old, Philippines

The Art of 'Arnis'

Theme: Traditional Sports and Games

 

Arnis is the national sport of the Philippines. It was devised by native Filipinos who used rattans, daggers, swords and other weapons for combat and self-defence. Arnis was employed by the first Filipino hero Datu Lapu-Lapu.

 


3rd Prize

Sharad Iragonda Patil

23 years old, India

Music and Dance Provides the Freedom to Express

Theme: Music and Dance

 

Wari is the most famous festival in Maharashtra, India. During this festival 500,000 to 600,000 people walk together and dance to musical instruments like the Taal.

 

 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS – CATEGORY 2

18-25 YEARS OLD

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Honourable Mention

Hasan Uçar

24 years old, Turkey

Woman Collecting Olives

Theme: Gastronomy and Food Production

 

A woman collecting olives in Derik, in Mardin Province, in the South East Anatolian Region. Olive cultivation is an important source of income for the local people in Derik district and olive oil culture, which is part of the Mediterranean diet as inscribed on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, has an important place among Turkish people.

 

 

 

Honourable Mention

Nguyễn Hoàng Đức

24 years old, Viet Nam

The Epic Fight

Theme: Traditional Sports and Games

 

Two fighters compete in a mudball wrestling game to earn the kick-off for their team. The mudball wrestling festival Lễ hội Vật Cầu Bùn is one of many fascinating festivals that have taken place across Viet Nam for hundreds of years. This three-day festival is known as Khanh Ha. The event celebrates Trieu Quang Phuc victory over black demons. Historically, the village has faced serious flooding so the act of fighting for the ball is symbolic of local people trying to bring back the sunshine and end the flooding. It is believed that the more times the wrestlers "steal" the ball back from one another, the more prosperous the next harvest will be.