Photo and story competition in Slovakia

Photo & story competition Decent Life for All started in Slovakia on 1^st July and finished on 20^th September 2015.

Out of 20 photographs received, the four person jury consisted of:

Beáta Lipovská, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
Tomas Halasz, photographer
Klara Rundova, Representation of European Commission in Slovakia
Andrea Plulíková, student, Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava     

decided that best photo was submitted by Martin Krpac from the commercial TV JOJ:

Cry for help

More than thousand of dead, ten thousands of wounded, millions of people lost their homes. That is the result of typhoon Haiyan that hit the Philippines in November 2013. The immediate humanitarian aid was the most important. And actions taken by Slovakia were brilliant. Financial as well as material help were sent to the Philippines. And even the medical one. Slovak field hospital was created in the area Slovak Samaritans cured the tens of old people, men and women, and also children every day. Local people thanked them and had a great regard for their help.

Philippines, 2013

The second one was the photo by Anton Fric, the freelance photographer:

Nur a Sarah are revising what they had learnt before they ran from home

Seven-year old Nur and eight-year old Sarah are learning inside one of the tents in refugee camp Mar Ellia in Christian district in town of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. Children of refugees have very limited access to education. As they do not go to school, they at least revise what they had learnt before they ran away from home.

Iraq, 2014

Third best photo was taken by Lenka Basnakova:

The Old Man

This old and disabled man is looked after by his wife. Despite her age, this 74-year old woman still washes dishes and cleans up. Her monthly wage of 200 rupees is hardly enough to buy one portion of rice a day for both of them. After I had published this photography on social network, many of my friends came to realize how it is difficult to be old and poor in India and they started sending money to the old couple. Now, they can afford rice for two years. Thank to my friends.

India, 2014

Out of 17 stories submitted, the four person jury consisted of:

Eva Sladkova, journalist
Mgr. Martina Galatova, PR manager, Omnimedia Public Relations, s.r.o.
Peter Ivanic, MVRO Platform
Jana Cavojska, freelance journalist and photographer

decided that the best story submitted was How I became a radical in one week because of refugees by Tomas Bella who works for the daily Dennik N. The second place won Magdalena Vaculciakova, the freelance journalist with her article Kampuchean sugar does not taste sweet. The third best article The boy who survived his own death wrote Pavol Strba from the daily SME.

BAAG update - competitions and round tables!

In August and September BAAG ran its first ever Afghanistan Journalism Competition.  This formed an important part of our Media4Development programme, funded by the EC.  

We invited journalists and photographers to send us a proposal, outlining an important but under-reported development story from Afghanistan.  We were delighted with the response.  A total of 36 individuals made the effort to research and develop their story ideas, often in paired entries between a journalist and photographer.  Their story suggestions were wide-ranging and inspiring - including how circus programmes develop critical coping mechanisms for Afghan children and their communities, how Afghan women are leading in sports and breaking down social barriers, how Afghans have developed innovative and effecting treatment programmes for drug addicts... all were fascinating stories, all deserved to be told.

The BAAG team and our Media Adviser reviewed all the entries, to create a short-list of 6.  We considered the originality and appropriateness of the story, the experience of the journalists in this subject area and in reporting from conflict-affected countries, the feasibility of gathering source material in Afghanistan during a 7 day trip.  We had hoped to include a leading Afghan photographer, Zalmai, in this stage of the reviewing, but unfortunately he was held up in Istanbul and only able to see a few entries by email before leaving for an assignment.

BAAG gathered together a panel of media experts to judge the shortlisted entries.  Our judges were: leading Afghanistan-focused journalists Emma Graham-Harrison of The Guardian and Ben Anderson of VICE News, award-winning photographer Nick Danziger and founder of the fantastic Kabul at Work multimedia project David Gill, and leading development communications expert and ex-journalist/editor Mark Galloway of the International Broadcasting Trust.  

Over a lively discussion the judges considered a short list of the leading six entries and eventually agreed on our winners.  Mark de Rond and Magda Rakita proposed a moving and interesting story that explores the issue of PTSD amongst Afghan civilians.  PTSD is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Much has been written in the Western press about the terrible impact the Afghanistan war has had on the NATO soldiers who have served in the country, and the support they receive back home should they be diagnosed with PTSD. In comparison little is reported on how 30+ years of continuous conflict, instability and horrific human rights violations have affected the civilian population.  Whilst some excellent work is being delivered in mental health treatment in Afghanistan, these programmes are few and far between.  

BAAG are now working with Mark and Magda to plan their trip to Afghanistan later this year.  We're working with our own Member organisations (NGOs who run programmes in Afghanistan) and with Afghan civil society and media contacts.  The aim is for a 7-9 day trip to Afghanistan for both winners, supported by BAAG staff, in early December - this will be to gather the required interviews, research and photographs for a final piece of development journalism to be published by end of 2015. We're looking forward to Mark and Magda telling their important story to the European public, and in doing, raising the need for continued support to Afghanistan and it's battle-scarred but resilient and hopeful people.  

Our other activity in the last month or so has been planning BAAG's 2nd policy-maker round table of the year.  We approached RUSI, ODI and Chatham House over the summer to see if they would partner with us, and in October we agreed to partner with RUSI.  We have been considering the theme of the event.  Given the increasingly difficult migrant and refugee crisis in Europe, we have decided to focus the event on this.  The precise theme and question is still being developed, by the BAAG team and RUSI and we'll consult with migration and development experts to finalise that.

The policy-makers round table will be held in London on December 16th, from 9am to 12.30pm.  We aim to have 10 policy makers (civil servants and MPs) present, along with development and migration experts.  One attendee will be an Afghan who we will bring over to London for the event.