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Deadline for Submissions: September 13, 2009, 5 pm EST

The Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT invites amateur and professional photographers from around the world to enter our 2nd Annual Photo Contest. The Legatum Center was founded on the belief that economic progress and good governance in low-income countries emerge from entrepreneurship and innovations that empower ordinary citizens. In contrast with images that show only the most devastating aspects of life in low-income countries, we look for photos that capture stories of entrepreneurial activity and demonstrate innovation and empowerment. We believe that entrepreneurship, coupled with the use of transformative technologies such as mobile phones and computers, has the power to create real progress from the bottom up. By sharing your photos, you can help us present a new vision for development – one that is more dignified, one that is more optimistic, and one that inspires action.

Theme

The theme of the 2nd Annual Photo Contest is

Women's Entrepreneurship: Empowerment through Innovation

We are looking for photographs that

  1. depict women in low-income countries engaging in entrepreneurial activities, and
  2. showcase transformative technologies such as mobile phones, mobile devices, e-commerce, solar technologies, and other innovative uses of technology.

Recent statistics highlight that of the 1.2 billion people who live on less than $1 a day, 70% are women. According to both UN and World Bank reports, compared to men, women earn lower wages, constitute a larger proportion of the unemployed, have fewer job-training opportunities, work in poorer conditions, and have less access to education, land, credit, and healthcare. It is also well documented, however, that when women experience an increase in their earnings, the extra income has a “multiplier effect” on the economy: the more money in the hands of women, the more money is channeled into the nutritional and educational needs of their children, and the more current household and future labor productivity increase. In short, women are, and will be, a critical force in driving global prosperity in the 21st century. Through our photo contest, we hope to recognize the inspiring women entrepreneurs who have broken down the barriers, and to showcase their positive images of progress.

For more information on the role of women in economic development, please see the following reports:

Categories - Spotlighted Countries

The Legatum Center Photo Contest welcomes submissions from photographers living in any country globally. This year, however, we aim to spotlight three individual countries: India, Kenya, and Mexico. If you reside in one of these three countries, you may enter your photos in a separate contest reserved only for residents of that particular country. To enter one of the spotlighted countries contests, you must be a resident of that country and have taken your photos in that country. In future years, the Legatum Center plans to spotlight additional countries.

Photographers from any other country, including the U.S. and E.U. countries, should submit their photographs under the Global category. The Global category is open to any and all photographers, regardless of country of residence.

See below for category details:

  • » Global: Photographers from any country submit photos taken in any developing nation.*
  • » Spotlight - India: Residents of India submit photos taken in India
  • » Spotlight - Kenya: Residents of Kenya submit photos taken in Kenya
  • » Spotlight - Mexico: Residents of Mexico submit photos taken in Mexico

*A list of countries with developing or emerging economies published by the International Monetary Fund can be found here.

Judging

The contest will be judged by a panel of experts on both photography and international development. Winning photos will be selected in each category based on

  1. depiction of the theme and the Legatum Center’s mission
  2. artistic quality and impact
  3. technical considerations such as photo quality

Prizes

One (1) winning photo will be chosen for each category, for a total of four (4) winning photos.

Each winner will receive:

*Last year’s conference featured a distinguished roster of over 22 speakers, including an unprecedented panel of 5 Nobel Laureates in Economics. A link with more information about the Legatum Center’s upcoming Annual Conference, including confirmed speakers, will be added to this website at a later date.

In addition, honorable mentions may be awarded in some categories.

Other photos may be used in promotional materials for the Legatum Center at MIT, a non-profit, educational organization. In these cases, entrants will be notified and credited.

Submission Procedure

Photos must be submitted as jpeg images using the online entry form. Photos should be at minimum 1819x2598 pixels and high resolution (300 dpi), and should be submitted with a title and caption, as prompted by the entry form. Entrants may submit more than one photo.

Submission Deadline

All entries must be submitted by September 13, 2009, at 5 pm EST. The Legatum Center reserves the right to extend the submission deadline if necessary. Winners will be announced at the Legatum Center Annual Conference in October 2009 and will be notified by email.

Contest Rules

  • » All photos must be the original work of the entrant. The entrant must hold all rights to the photos, and photos must not have been published elsewhere.
  • » If recognizable people are portrayed in the photos, subjects must have given the entrant permission to distribute their image in print and online.
  • » Legatum Center Fellows and recipients of Legatum Center seed grant money are not eligible to enter this contest.
  • » The Legatum Center reserves the right to crop and lightly edit images.
  • » No responsibility is taken for ineligible entries or entries made fraudulently.
  • » All cash awards are subject to US tax laws. According to US tax code, US and non-US citizens may receive their awards less any tax obligations.
  • » By entering the contest, each entrant gives the Legatum Center the non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free right to publish his or her photo(s) in our brochures and other print marketing and promotional materials, website, presentations, electronic marketing and promotional materials, fundraising materials, and for internal office use. The entrant retains copyright to all photos and will be credited if they are used by the Legatum Center. If the Legatum Center uses a photo for any other use, or uses a photo that is not a winner or an honorable mention, the photographer will be notified. The Legatum Center is a non-profit, educational organization.

By entering this contest, entrants accept these rules and agree to be bound by them.

Questions?

Please direct any questions to legatumphotocontest@gmail.com. If you are unable to use the submission form, you may email your jpegs to legatumphotocontest@gmail.com. Be sure to include all information requested on the online entry form with your email.