The honor of first place in the 2008 “UNICEF Photo of the Year” competition goes to young Belgian photographer Alice Smeets. Her winning picture shows a girl in the largest slum in Hait's capital city, Port-au-Prince, following a series of multiple hurricanes that left much of the city under water for weeks. Although she has to live between dirt and rubbish, the girl is wearing a clean white dress with matching ribbons in her hair, while also walking barefoot through the mud.
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| © Alice Smeets/Belgium/2008 |
| First place winner of the UNICEF Photo of the Year 2008 competition, taken in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Alice Smeets, a 21-year-old photographer from Eupen, Belgium, is the youngest winner in the history of the contest. |
“The photo shows us the courage and energy of a little girl who is growing up in the face of adversity. Children from the poorest backgrounds often demonstrate the greatest strength,” said UNICEF patroness Eva Luise Köhler at a recent award ceremony, held in Berlin, Germany.
Second prize in the competition went to Israeli photographer Oded Bality of the Associated Press. His photo was taken 10 days after the catastrophic May 12 earthquake in the Chinese province of Sichuan—in which 70,000 people lost their lives.
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| © Oded Bality/Israel/2008 |
| Second prize winner, taken in China 10 days after the Sichuan earthquake. |
The photo shows survivors in a camp near the city of Mianzhu. Even though Chinese authorities and aid organizations were relatively quick to supply emergency food and housing, all the survivors will struggle for a long time with the psychological effects of the earthquake. UNICEF supports the psychosocial care of children who lost their parents, teachers and friends in the catastrophic earthquake.
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| © Balazs Gardi/Hungary/2008 |
| The third prize winner shows a man in northwest Afghanistan holding an injured child in his arms. |
Third place in the competition went to the Hungarian photographer Balazs Gardi for his photo of a man in northwest Afghanistan who is holding an injured child in his arms.
Children in Afghanistan are both accidentally and intentionally victims of violence—often finding themselves between the fronts between Nato-led security forces and Taliban insurgents. Taliban fighters have deliberately and violently attacked many schools—mostly schools for girls. In 2008 alone, there were 256 such attacks in which at least 58 people, including children, died.
Honorable mentions
This year, international experts put forward 1,450 photos by 128 photographers from 31 countries. The jury—chaired by Klaus Honnef, Professor of Photography at the Kassel Art Academy—chose the first, second and third place winners, as well as 11 honorable mentions—including some of the following compelling images:
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| © Gordon Welters/Germany/Laif/2008 |
| Life on Wheels – The Wagenburg Story |
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| ©Mario Tama/USA/Getty Images/2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina – The Effects of a Catastrophe |
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| © Brenda Anne Kenneally/USA/2008 |
| Starving in the Land of Plenty |
The ninth annual international "UNICEF Photo of the Year" competition was supported by GEO magazine and funded by Citibank Germany.
Comments (3)
I have such respect and admiration for the thousands of volunteers,journalists,and photographers,who risk their safety and sometimes their life's to bring us news,photos,and videos,that otherwise we might not be able to see,watch or read about.
I am a student who is a social work major and I am also a mother of a 5 year old son, since joining UNICEF I have been so moved by the actions and compassion of this organization,that one day when I am financially able I want to be able to go over seas and help children and famlies in any way that I can!
Hopefully my son will be a little bit older and I can take him with me so that he realizes how blessed we are to have what we have and to live in the United States,I want him to understand that part of being a good human being is to help your fellow sister or brother.
You never know when a catastrophe will strike you and your family or a friend,wouldn't you want someone to be there to help you? You only get out of this world what you put into it. You treat people the way you want to be treated.
I just think that the work that you people do is tremendous and I am very grateful to have seen Mia Farrow on CNN talking about the horrible atrocities going on in Darfur,I had already know about the conflicts and the strife but I had never know about UNICEF,so I went online after the show,and signed up to become a member and I have now donated my money and time in writing my representatives and my senators here in Ohio about legislation that needs to be passed so that innocent children can stop being killed and injured every day.
I also am far more educated on what is going in the world since I became a member. Thank you, keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Darlene Loughner
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January 17, 2009 10:51 PM
Posted on January 17, 2009 22:51
I am unable to understand this post. But well some points are useful for me.
Posted by EntepeWitte | January 20, 2009 11:05 AM
Posted on January 20, 2009 11:05
The travesties that are occuring in third world countries are nothing short of unimaginable to us americans . A place where our poor are overweight . I am compelled to help in any way i can and i know that starts with educating my self and others like me . The unaware . For knowledge is power and now that we know lets move forward and make this world a better place to be for all of its inhabitants . Peace .
Posted by tion | January 22, 2009 2:27 PM
Posted on January 22, 2009 14:27