Des Moines, IA, September 23, 2013 — In a campaign to drive engagement and inspiration, the US Center for Citizen Diplomacy (USCCD) held the “You had me at {Hello}” photo contest, which called for submissions of photos illustrating exemplary citizen diplomacy.
“We want to see visual evidence of citizen diplomacy in action,” the USCCD communicated through its blog.
From pictures of volunteer work, to study abroad experiences, exchange students, and multi-cultural dance troupes, the photos were as diverse as those who entered. Seventy-eight individuals and 56 organizations submitted a total of 134 photographs over the contest period. The collection of photographs represented an impressive 38 countries.
It was a close race. Votes reached as high as 160 on the Facebook voting page with the top photos only leading by a few votes. The internal jury had the difficult job of selecting only two winners among a pool of excellent submissions. In the end, two individuals and two organizations were selected.
The winners of the individual category, Joanna Liss and Brian Naughton, each received $100. The organization winners, Qatar Foundation and Hope 4 Africa, won a one-year all-inclusive USCCD membership. All four winners will also be featured on the USCCD blog, where USCCD will share the wonderful stories behind each winning photo. Additionally, special mentions from the contest are featured in a photo album on the USCCD’s Facebook Page.
The depth of engagement and breadth of activity truly impressed the jury and USCCD staff. The photos illustrated a vast array of activity from organizations and individuals across the globe. The contest accomplished its ultimate goal: to celebrate citizen diplomats and inspire others to become more globally engaged.
The success and popularity of the contest has inspired the USCCD to continue to celebrate these powerful interactions of citizen diplomacy each year in an annual photo contest.
Check out the winning photos below:
Brian Naughton - Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa
Qatar Foundation - Doha, Ad Dawhah, Qatar.
Joanna Liss, Paris, Ile-de-France, France.
Hope 4 Africa - Kirobon Primary School, Kenya.
About the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy
The USCCD is a non-profit organization established to promote citizen engagement in international affairs and honor and expand the important work of over 1700 U.S. based non-profits dedicated to conducting citizen diplomacy programs in the United States and abroad.
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