Building from our ongoing work in Cauca, Voices from the Void is organizing a photo contest to help explore the reality of post-conflict education throughout rural Colombia.

More specifically, rural education was outlined as a major theme to help bring peace to Colombia following the 2016 Final Agreement.  Yet as with many post-conflict settings around the globe, this is easier said than done.  As a result, we aspire to continue exploring this issue to better understand what is working, what challenges remain, and how best to support rural Colombia moving forward.

To help advance this discussion, Voices is organizing a photo contest with Contraluz entitled “Peace and Pedagogy.”  The main focus is to highlight the reality of rural education as Colombia approaches the halfway point of the 15-year implementation window of 2016’s Final Agreement.  Has schooling improved over the last seven years?  How are Colombian youth learning in marginalized communities?  What challenges remain?  Any photos engaging these questions are welcomed within this contest.

PARTICIPATION

Participation is open to anyone residing in Colombia, be they an amateur or professional photographer, with consideration primarily focused towards those entrants most familiar with marginalized youth and rural education.

SUBMISSIONS

Each photographer is welcome to submit up to five photographs in any common format they choose, provided the photos were taken in Colombia since the signing of the Final Agreement (November 2016).  Photographers are also welcome to include an optional narrative of up to 100 words accompanying their submission that helps explain what their photograph(s) can teach us about how and what young people are learning on the margins of Colombian society, and how it impacts peace.

Submissions are welcomed via email until 31 July, 2023 to concursovocesdelvacio@voicesfromthevoid.org

By submitting entries all photographers acknowledge that they both took (and own the rights to) the photograph(s), that none of the entries violate the Convention on Children’s Rights or otherwise portray any young people in a negative light, and that all winning photographers will consent to their selected photos being licensed to Voices from the Void to highlight the role of education in rural Colombia.

EVALUATION AND AWARDS

A committee of photographers and representatives from Voices from the Void will evaluate all entries against our goal of highlighting the reality of rural education – including what’s working and what isn’t – following the Final Agreement.  The committee will select the 10 photographs they believe best convey this goal and announce their selections  no later than 18 August, 2023. 

Five winners will each be offered an award of 1,000,000 COP, while five notable mentions will each be offered 200,000 COP.

In addition to the financial award, Voices from the Void plans to feature winning photographs on its website, social media accounts, and upcoming educational reports to better promote rural education in Colombia.  In turn, all winning photographers are required to complete photo releases prior to receiving their cash distribution.  (For all photographers 18 years and older not involving children in their submissions, a copy of the release is available here.  For photographers younger than 18 and for submissions including people younger than 18, a release from parent or guardian — required for each child under 18 — is available here.)  Yet beyond granting a license to use the winning images to promote rural education and other non-profit themes, the photographer retains ownership of the photograph and all subsequent rights.

FURTHER INFORMATION

To inquire on specific questions or for further information, please email Voices at concursovocesdelvacio@voicesfromthevoid.org