The global Walk of Water photography contest, organised by UNESCO and Onewater, has unveiled a powerful collection of images that capture the profound and intimate connection between humanity and water. From vanishing lakes to traditional sea practices, the entries reflect a diverse range of human experiences shaped by this vital resource.
Striking Visual Narratives from Around the World
The contest features photographs from numerous countries, each telling a unique story about life with and without water. In Bolivia, Florencio, Pablo, Cipriana, and Félix Mauricio are pictured sitting in a boat on the salt flat that was once Lake Poopó, Bolivia's second largest lake, now dried up due to climate breakdown. This poignant image symbolises the loss of ancestral fishing grounds for the Qotzuñi people, who have turned to crafts for survival.
Traditional Practices and Climate Challenges
In Greenland, children in the Uummannaq settlement carve words into thinning sea ice to describe climate changes, using terms like 'Isippoq' for falling through ice and 'Sikoqqinngisaannassooq' for a future without sea ice. Meanwhile, in South Korea, a haenyeo diver prepares to plunge for mussels, continuing a centuries-old tradition, and in Malaysia, Bajau Laut girls wear borak, a traditional paste, as protection against the sun.
Other entries include a family in Russia storing food in an ice cellar near the eroding Kolyma River, and in Iran, a grandmother's hands swimming in the saline remains of Lake Urmia. These images underscore how water scarcity and environmental shifts are impacting daily life and cultural heritage.
Conservation Efforts and Human Resilience
The contest also highlights positive actions, such as in the Philippines, where a community releases a young crocodile into a creek as part of a conservation programme. In Tanzania, women tend seaweed crops in Zanzibar, and in Cambodia, the economy of Tonle Sap Lake relies on processing 'money fish' for fermented paste. These scenes demonstrate human adaptability and efforts to sustain water-dependent livelihoods.
Reflecting on Water's Role in Our Lives
The variety of entries, from a boy in India saving his pet from rising waters to a teenager in Indonesia practising whaling techniques, emphasises water's central role in tradition, economy, and survival. As climate change accelerates, these photographs serve as a visual reminder of the urgent need to protect our water resources and support communities facing water-related challenges.
