The Culture, Spirituality and Conservation Photo Exhibition presented by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) Theme on Culture, Spirituality and Conservation (CSC) and #NatureForAll will provide a space for discovery and discussion about the myriad of ways that communities around the world identify with nature and practice conservation. The photographs and captions will introduce attendees to diverse cultures, spiritualities, and geographies at the Communities, Conservation & Livelihoods conference in Halifax, Canada, May 28th-30th, 2018.
For example, one photo from Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, captures a traditional river resource management system with spatial and temporal fishing restrictions demarcated by painted river rocks, which has been revitalized to support domestic tourism for wild fish pedicures. Another photo captures aerial footage of a circle of indigenous community leaders from around the world at the Global E Alu Pu Gathering before the 2016 World Conservation Congress, reseeding limu, a native seaweed.
This engagement with our members’ on-the-ground experiences and sharing of stories is one of the primary aims of the IUCN CEESP Theme on Culture, Spirituality and Conservation and #NatureForAll – also relevant for CSVPA. While the number of photos for the exhibition will be limited by time and space, submissions will be collated with the contributors’ consent into a digital photo exhibition on the IUCN CEESP website and #NatureForAll communication platforms to raise dialogue both within IUCN and beyond on the diverse ways in which people practice conservation globally.
Photos will also be considered for inclusion in a photo essay in the thematic journal issue to follow the conference. Those photos conveying good examples of cultural and spiritual significance of nature in protected and conserved areas may be selected for publication through #NatureForAll and in the IUCN Best Practice Guidelines on the Cultural and Spiritual Significance of Nature in the Governance and Management of Protected and Conserved Areas. Photos will be published inclusive of a caption and photo credit, and where applicable, a best practice example could be developed to illustrate one of the particular guidelines provided in the publication. The publication is being prepared by the IUCN WCPA Specialist group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas (CSVPA). Contributions will only be published in the thematic journal or best practice guidelines or on #NatureForAll platforms with the consent of the contributor.
Please save your digital photo as your name (ex: AshleyMassey.jpeg) and send in its original file size (high resolution JPEG, min 300P) to Ashley.Massey@gmail.com using TransferBigFiles.com or WeTransfer.com. Please send a caption (maximum 250 words) with:
1) Your name and email address
2) Name of photographer (if different)
3) Where the photo was taken
4) Subject of the photo (person, community, organization)
5) How does this community identify with nature and practice conservation?
6) Contact information for community/organization (website, email, social media)
Contributions will be considered on a rolling basis. It is recommended to submit as soon as possible. DEADLINE: 30 APRIL 2018, 5:00pm EST.
