10th Anniversary of the Photo Competition

History of the Competition

For the past decade, the Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day has called on photographers and artists from around the world to communicate the beauty of the ocean and the importance of the respective UN WOD themes each year.

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Annual World Oceans Day Photo Competition in 2023, the Photography for Sustainable Oceans exhibit draws on winning entries from past editions of the competition and centers around the three core, integrated and indivisible elements of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.

The photographs represent some of the most powerful images from recent years and show how photography can highlight challenges and solutions in relation to sustainable development in the ocean sphere and raise the profile of SDG 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”, which has so far attracted the least investment of any of the Goals.

Sharing these images, supplemented with information on ocean health and the Sustainable Development Goals, improves ocean literacy and understanding of the role of the ocean in a changing climate, and the effects of climate change on the ocean.

10th Anniversary Exhibition has been coordinated in collaboration between The United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), DivePhotoGuide (DPG), Oceanic Global, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC UNESCO) and Nausicaa with special thanks to Ellen Cuylaerts.

All participants signed a Charter of 14 commitments regarding ethics in photography.