UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme and Onewater have revealed the winners of the Global Walk of Water Photography Contest, a celebration of water, identity, and human connection. This year’s edition, themed “Identities”, attracted nearly 1,000 submissions from 114 countries, exploring how water shapes lives, traditions, professions, and communities around the world. The winning stories will serve as a visual prelude to UN World Water Day 2026, focusing on the crucial topic of Water and Gender.
The contest awarded over €10,000 in prizes, made possible through support from the Asian Development Bank, WEX, Calumet, the Global Environment Facility’s IW:Learn Platform, and WasserStiftung. In addition, top young photographers will have the chance to participate in the 11th International Waters Conference, with travel and participation fully covered.
First Prize and Youth Award
German photographer
Kristina Steiner received the first prize for her compelling documentation of Belgium’s last horse shrimpers, highlighting the delicate balance between tradition and survival. The Youth Award went to
Gastón Zilberman for his powerful story on the Qotzuñi people and the disappearance of Bolivia’s second-largest lake, a poignant testament to climate change and cultural loss.
Regional Winners
Regional winners included
Giacomo d’Orlando, who chronicled the Agta peoples’ fight to save the last of the Philippine Crocodile, and
Abyan Madani from Indonesia, who documented the indispensable work of Jakarta’s Blue Troops, ensuring access to water in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.
A Global Mosaic of Water Stories
The submissions provide a striking window into the role of water in everyday life. Photographs range from daring sea rescue operations and the devastating Amazonian droughts to the quiet persistence of salt harvesters in Vietnam and the remarkable Haenyo (sea women) of Jeju Island. Together, they reveal the intimate ways water intersects with identity, culture, and survival.
© Ricardo Funari Di Lucia
The best stories will travel the globe in a 2026 traveling exhibition, following past showcases at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and the UN Headquarters in New York. Institutions interested in hosting the exhibition may apply until May 30, 2026. The contest continues a five-year collaboration between UNESCO and Onewater, underscoring the enduring connection between photography, environmental awareness, and human stories.
Through these images, the Global Walk of Water Photography Contest demonstrates the power of visual storytelling to illuminate critical issues, celebrate diverse communities, and inspire action for water, identity, and sustainability worldwide.
