World Water Day Photo Contest 2026
World Water Day Photo Contest 2026 is now open for entries!
The Lions Club Seregno AID – ETS recently has organised the ninth edition of its World Water Day Photo Contest, an artistic event open to all the world’s photographers, amateurs or professionals, animated by the values of respect, tolerance and goodwill towards nature and humanity.
Short description
The Lions Club Seregno AID – ETS organizes the ninth edition of the World Water Day Photo Contest, #WWDPHC.
The contest is organized in conjunction with UN Water’s World Water Day to raise awareness of the critical importance of water in our time, particularly regarding access to potable water.
This year theme is “Water’s Role in Gender Equality”, aiming to highlight how water is not just a natural resource, but a powerful lens through which gender inequalities can be observed.
The competition categories are:
➜ Single photos themed “Water’s Role in Gender Equality” (Main category)
➜ Single photos themed “Water Landscape”
➜ Storytelling: A section themed “Lives by water” with the opportunity to submit sets of photos, thematic photography projects, storytelling, photo reportage, and storyboards that have water as their common element. Projects must consist of 6 to 12 photos with a short description, preferably in English.
All photographs featuring water as the protagonist are accepted, taken with any type of device: camera, smartphone, tablet, drone, or action camera.
The World Water Day Photo Contest does not accept AI-generated photos.
Photos will be evaluated at each stage by a prestigious international jury composed of professionals from the photography sector. Photos will be judged for visual impact, composition, originality, technical quality, creativity, and ability to convey a message, feeling, or emotion.
The best photos selected by the jury will be included in the World Water Day Photo Contest traveling collective exhibition. These exhibitions will be held from April 2026 to February 2027 in Italy and worldwide in locations ensuring good public attendance.
The winning photos will be published on the contest website, social platforms, and through the channels of contest partners such as UN Water or Lions Acqua per la Vita MD108.
Submission requirements:
➜ The photos may be in color or black and white. Digital post-production is allowed to optimize an image. Photos may be slightly cropped, but key elements of the composition cannot be added or removed. Adjustments to brightness, contrast, and color balance, as well as minor retouching of dust spots or other small elements, are allowed. Images may be sharpened before printing. Only post-production techniques realistically achievable in a darkroom are accepted.
Who may enter?
The Contest is open to all photography enthusiasts and supporters of environmental issues.
Prize:
The prize fund totals at more than 5,000 Euro, of which 1,500 Euro are reserved for the Main category first place winner.
Entry fees:
The themed photos registration fee is 15 Euro per two photos (plus 5 Euro for each additional photo). The Storytelling registration fee is 35 Euro per portfolio (minimum 6, maximum 12 photos).
