Through this activity, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) celebrates and makes widely known the creativity of young members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Participation encourages Indigenous and local community youth to convey an impactful message about their peoples, communities and culture through photographic storytelling.
The WIPO Photography Prize also raises awareness among young participants and their communities on how copyright can be used by them to protect their creativity expressed in the photographs, as well as how the protection of traditional cultural expressions relates to intellectual property rights.
Theme of the Photography Prize: How We Wear Our Culture Is How We Tell Our Stories.Under the theme, How We Wear Our Culture Is How We Tell Our Stories, young members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are invited to take and submit photographs that deliver an important message about their communities’ clothing.
The photographs would, for example, depict clothing that reflects cultural identity or cultural significance and embodies traditional designs and/or contemporary designs that are tradition-based and still reflective of the community’s cultural identity. The clothing may be everyday clothing or garments, textiles, or clothes worn for special occasions. “Clothing” includes headdresses, footwear and jewelry.