Arthur Roessle CIDSE Foto Competition
Sustainable lifestyle

CIDSE: Change the Planet through your Daily Life

12 June Jun 2017 1101 12 June 2017
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CIDSE in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee, Broederlijk Delen, Entraide et Fraternité and Vita organises today a roundtable discussion on the power of citizens to move society towards fairer and more sustainable systems through their own innovative and local initiatives. During the event, CIDSE will release the awards of its first international photo competition “Inspire Change Through Your Lens”.

CIDSE in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Broederlijk Delen, Entraide et Fraternité and Vita is organising a roundtable discussion on the power of citizens to move society towards fairer and more sustainable systems through their own innovative and local initiatives that take into account people's lives and the planet's boundaries.

This roundtable discussion, which will take place in Brussels at EESC’s headquarters, will be followed by the awards ceremony for the international photo competition, "Inspire Change through your lens", which was organised as part of the Change for the Planet – Care for the People campaign.

The event will feature speakers with different perspectives on how the current EU policy agenda - in the context of the implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement - can support the shift towards more sustainable models and enable citizen initiatives to flourish and multiply.

The event will feature speakers with different perspectives on how the current EU policy agenda can support the shift towards more sustainable models and enable citizen initiatives to flourish and multiply.

The roundtable and the photo competition are organized within the campaign “Change for the Planet – Care for the People”, launched three years ago by CIDSE.

This campaign builds on the work CIDSE carries out with its member organizations towards social justice, doing so by promoting sustainable ways of living. The global over-exploitation of natural resources puts people and planet at risk- and it starts with vulnerable people living in poverty.

“Change for the Planet - Care for the People” calls for a radical change in people’s lifestyles towards living simply by reducing overall energy consumption and making environmentally-friendly food choices. This can be done by limiting consumption to sustainably-produced local foods that minimize environmental impact, allow producers to gain fair livelihoods, do not violate human rights, and are also affordable.

Sebastien Pins CIDSE Foto Competition

Sébastien Pins (non professional category) has been also awarded with a photo reflecting the relevance of beekeeping for future.

Regarding the photo competition, professional and non-professional participants were invited to submit photographs that portrayed people-driven initiatives in the sustainable consumption and production of food and energy. Launched in February, it aimed to engage citizens to inspire meaningful narratives on sustainable lifestyles and the transition towards fairer and more sustainable systems in a creative way.

“As the photos from the participants of this photo competition show, building alternatives for fairer societies and more sustainable ways of living are already happening here and around the world”, says Lieve Herijgers, director Broederlijk Delen and jury member of this photo competition. “They reflect the power and creativity that people and communities have to drive the change that our societies desperately need. I believe this photo competition has built on this creativity to make such initiatives visible and inspire others to take action. I would like to congratulate the winners on their inspiration”.

As the photos from the participants of this photo competition show, building alternatives for fairer societies and more sustainable ways of living are already happening here and around the world.

Lieve Herijgers, director Broederlijk Delen

Selected from over 100 participants, the Brazilian photographer Arthur Roessle won the first prize for the professional category with a photo portraying the work of an organic coffee farmer in Brazil. Sébastien Pins (non professional category) has been also awarded with a photo reflecting the relevance of beekeeping for future.

The winning photographs were chosen by a high-level panel of judges including Lieve Herijgers, Representative of CIDSE; Philippe Lamberts, MEP European Greens; Olivier de Schutter, Former UN Rapporteur on the Right to Food and Co-chair of IPES-Food; Michelle Rogers, renowned environmental artist; and Ron Haviv, internationally-acclaimed professional photographer. The evaluation of the photos was based on the strength of the story portrayed, the quality and authenticity of the content. Below are the winning photographs and the runners-up for each category.

The event will also mark the opening of an exhibition featuring the winning photo entries and a selection of international entries that will be held for a month at La Chapelle de la Resurrection in Brussels.

Cover picture: Arthur Roessle

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