From spiritual rituals to the struggle for survival, a global photography contest lays bare the intimate connection between water and human identity.
Organised by UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme and Onewater, the competition selected winners from a pool of nearly 1,000 stories spanning 114 countries. The Identities theme serves as a visual prelude to the UN World Water Day 2026 focus on Water and Gender.
The competition awarded over €10,000 in prizes, supported by the Asian Development Bank, WEX, Calumet, the Global Environment Facility’s IW:Learn Platform, and WasserStiftung.
German photographer, Kristina Steiner, won the first prize for documenting Belgium’s last horse shrimpers. The youth award goes to Gastón Zilberman, for his story on the Qotzuñi people and the disappearance of Bolivia’s second largest lake.
Regional winners include Giacomo d’Orlando whose story highlights the Agta peoples’ fight to save the last of the Philippine Crocodile and Abyan Madani from Indonesia who documented the indispensable Blue Troops of Jakarta.
A Global Mosaic
The submissions offer a sharp look at the role of water in everyday life with images ranging from sea rescue operations and the devastating reality of Amazonian droughts to the quiet traditions of salt extraction in Viet Nam and the remarkable Haenyo (sea women) of Jeju Island. The full gallery of winning stories can be viewed online at: https://onewater.blue/contest/identities
Exhibition and Media
The best stories will embark on a global traveling exhibition throughout 2026, following previous showcases at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and the UN Headquarters in New York. Institutions interested in hosting the exhibition may apply until May 30, 2026.
Key Statistics:
- 8,311 Images submitted
- 968 Photo series
- 796 Photographers
- 114 Countries represented
- 37% Female participants / 63% Male participants.