Indigenous Brazilian wins WIPO photo contest

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian Joanderson Gomes de Almeida, 30, won the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities photo contest held by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Joanderson is a Pankararu indigenous from Pernambuco state and won the prize with the image “Puxar da Videira” (“Pulling from the Vine”), portraying a ritual part of the traditional Corrida do Umbu (“Umbu tree Run”) festival. The contest’s first-place winner wins photographic equipment worth up to US$3,500.

The theme of this year’s award was “Climate Change and Climate Action: Mother Earth through our lens,” a WIPO incentive for young indigenous people to express their views on protecting the environment while raising awareness about how copyright can be used to protect their creativity.

“These young creators, whose work is protected by copyright, can use the full power of photography to better express their concerns for the world and share best practices in their communities,” comments WIPO Director General Daren Tang.

EXHIBITION

Among the hundreds of entries received, 30 photos entered the contest’s final phase. An independent panel of judges consisting of four international indigenous and local community photographers selected three winners for awards presented during an event at WIPO to celebrate International Mother Earth Day on April 22. The 30 finalist photographs are now being exhibited at the WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, until May 6.

The young Brazilian Isabela Back Hans was selected among the 20 best videos to celebrate World IP Day. In the video Project Cycle, Isabela presents an initiative that seeks to help end menstrual poverty in the world.

Over 33,400 people voted to help choose the winners of the Video Contest. Watch the winning videos here.