In the run-up to the 2015 edition of European Development Days (EDD15), Europe’s premier forum on global cooperation and development, the European Commission will launch a photo contest calling on young people, aged 15-25 around the world to share their vision on sustainable food and development.
This year’s edition of the European Development Days (3-4 June) will be a very important one since 2015 is the European Year for Development.
Addressing food and nutrition security The overarching theme of the competition will be the relationship between food and nutrition and the three dimensions of sustainable development: environmental, social and economic.
For example, the production of food puts various strains on the environment, including water shortages, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and pollution. At the same time, sustainable agriculture can also stimulate sustainable growth and job creation, while contributing to ecosystems preservation and climate change adaptation.
Currently, there are still 805 million people who do not have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Last but not least, food plays a central role family and social life, shaping people’s identity and culture. The theme echoes EDD15’s focus on creating sustainable growth.
Launching the competition, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica said: ‘Food is often something we take for granted here in the EU, but it’s important to remember that one in nine people still go hungry every day.
We want to see the challenges linked to food sustainability and nutrition in the eyes of the younger generations. I am looking forward to seeing young people’s creative insight, and hope that this will also allow us to get a better picture of the concerns and priorities of future generations with regard to sustainable food, nutrition and development.’
How to take part
Young people wishing to participate should submit their photos on EuropeAid’s Facebook account. Teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 25 have until 10 April 2015 to submit as many photos responding to the theme as they like.
Each photo should be accompanied by a short caption of up to 140 characters, as well as by an additional short background story of up to 1,500 characters explaining the picture.
Once the photos have been submitted, participants will be encouraged to promote their photos in order to receive as many votes as possible.
The five photos and captions from six continents (Africa / Asia / Europe / North America / South America / Oceania and the Pacific) garnering the most votes from the general public will be submitted to a jury, which will select six finalists.
Finalists will be invited to attend European Development Days (Brussels, 3-4 June 2015), where their photos will be exhibited. They will have the opportunity to meet major players in the field of development as well as high-level representatives from the EU and partner countries, and share their thoughts with leaders from around the world in Brussels.
During the forum, attendees will be invited to vote for their favourite picture among those submitted by the six finalists. The author of the winning photo will be invited to attend the 2015 Universal Exhibition in Milan, Italy, ‘Feeding the planet. Energy for life’.
For more information on the photo contest: http://eudevdays.eu/photocontest and www.facebook.com/europeaid
European Development Days (EDD) shows Europe’s commitment to the eradication of poverty. The forum builds on a core belief: cooperation is the cornerstone of a fairer world. An essential aim is thus to facilitate networking and inspire the desire to work together even more closely in a spirit of true partnership.
EDD is an incubator of new ideas to inform our shared aim of a poverty-free, sustainable and fair world where everyone has a chance at a decent life.
Each year, European Development Days attracts about 7 000 participants from over 140 countries, representing 1 200 organisations from the field of development cooperation, human rights and humanitarian aid.
In bringing together the global development community, the European Union also engages political leaders, development practitioners, the private sector and civil society in shaping the EU’s policies for tackling poverty worldwide.
Everyone is given a voice in this open, collaborative and inclusive platform. Since 2006, European Development Days has led debates around the challenges ahead in international cooperation: climate change, policy coherence, global governance, human development, food and energy, security and fragility, support for democracy.
In 2015, European Development Days (EDD15) will serve as the flagship event of the European Year for Development (EYD2015).
As declared by President Juncker at the opening of EYD2015 in Riga: ‘It will be a year, in which we will see actions all over Europe, in all Member States, among civil society, local authorities and from all European institutions.’
Each individual and every policy have a role to play for a more sustainable and peaceful world. In 2015, we want to tell stories from around the world to show that regardless of where we come from or where we want to go, our aspirations remain the same.
We strive for a stable and peaceful world, education for our children, jobs for young people and a decent life on a planet, of which we need to take a better care.
Commissioner Mimica believes in the importance of collaboration between development actors: ‘Today’s challenges are universal and interrelated, and need a global response – just think of climate change, insecurity, migration, or famines. These problems are not just limited to a specific region; they are issues that affect the whole world. This obviously makes them Europe’s concern, too. The EU, as a major global player, is ready to play its part in tackling these challenges.’
The title for EDD15 thus echoes the motto of EYD2015 ‘our world, our dignity, our future’ while discussions will be structured around 4 themes and 12 topics:
1. Our world / Creating sustainable growth within the limits of our planet a Halting climate change and building resilience a Sustainable energy for growth a An urban world: challenges and opportunities
2. Our dignity / Developing a shared vision of universal and fundamental rights a Gender rights a Right to health a Inclusion and inequality
3. Our future / Each of our policies can make a difference a Feeding the world together a Fair globalisation a Migration
4. Our future / We are all actors in development a Growth and poverty eradication a Global citizenship a Decent jobs
