IREX congratulates the five winners of our 2nd annual Make a Better World Photo Contest [15]. Contest judges found winners’ photos were creative and technically sound, and also adeptly illustrated IREX’s international work [16] in at least one of three main categories: Technology, Information & Participation, Improving Communities, and Education & Employment. Judges selected the winning photos out of a pool of more than 550 submissions from around the globe.
The Grand Prize goes to Pranab Basak for his intimate and cheerful photo of young girls admiring an illuminated globe at school. One judge remarked that his image “captures a moment shared between young women so passively and brilliantly. No flash, none of the subjects disturbed by the camera. Their eyes are on each other and the model earth." He went on to say "the juxtaposition of the greys and blacks of the room and the girl's clothing with the warmth of the globe is wonderful and symbolic of the theme of the contest.”
For his stunning portrayal of digital democracy in action in Egypt’s Tahrir Square, Ebrahim Elmoly takes the prize for Technology, Information & Participation. His photo was a prime and current example of how technology [17] helps citizens get the information, news [18] and education [19] they need to more fully participate in their own communities.
Gregorio Dantes, Jr. of the Philippines shows with his photo the important role of people on the ground in improving communities [20], and wins the prize in that category.
Finally, Nimai Chandra Ghosh wins the Education & Employment category for documenting the excitement and enthusiasm young students [21] have for learning in a remote village school.
IREX’s friends and followers on Facebook [22] and Twitter [23] helped select Sumon Yusuf's photo of yong Afghan school girls for the People’s Choice prize.
Thank you to all who participated.