giga photo
awards
Giga is a joint initiative by UNICEF and ITU aiming for universal school connectivity by 2030.
A global photography call exploring the digital impact of connection in fragile and crisis affected contexts.
Giga’s first global photo award in 2025 drew more than 3,000 submissions and culminated in an outdoor exhibition in Geneva.
The 2026 edition, Urgency for Connectivity, invites photographers to show how digital connection endures through conflict, climate disasters, health emergencies, political instability, and displacement.
catagories
Our award will feature three categories:
@UNICEF
01
Category
Single Image
A single photograph documenting how digital connectivity shapes daily life in fragile contexts, revealing resilience, disconnection, or solidarity.
02
Category
Junior Visual Storyteller
Open to visual storytellers under 21 documenting how digital connectivity shapes daily life in their communities.
Submissions may be supported by a parent, guardian, or adult mentor.
@UNICEF
@UNICEF
03
Category
Multiple Image
A series of 5 to 15 images documenting how people and communities experience, sustain, or rebuild digital connections in times of change.
Contest timeline
Call for Submissions, 2026 Award
17 February to 17 March 2026
Jury Review, Geneva
26–27 March 2026
Including student jury by HEAD-Genève
Award Ceremony, Geneva
June 2026
Exhibition, Geneva In collaboration with MAH and UNIGE
June & October 2026
Awards
Awards include the Giga Photo Fellowship, mentorship, portfolio reviews, travel to Geneva, and participation in the exhibition.
Jury
Adeleh Mojtahed
Artist, UN & Strategic Engagement at Giga (ITU)
Adeleh Mojtahed
Artist, UN & Strategic Engagement at Giga (ITU)
Adeleh is a multidisciplinary professional with over a decade of experience in international affairs, diplomacy, art, and innovation, shaping strategic engagement and systems-level initiatives across the United Nations and the private sector, with a practice rooted in cultural dialogue.
Ala Kheir
Photographer, Curator & Educator
Ala Kheir
Photographer, Curator & Educator
Ala Kheir is a Sudanese photographer, curator, and educator working in documentary photography and visual storytelling.
Samantha Clark
Managing Photo Editor, National Geographic
Samantha Clark
Managing Photo Editor, National Geographic
Samantha Clark is a managing photo editor at National Geographic. She leads teams of photo editors who commission and curate photography for digital, print, and social, and oversees photography for the publication’s daily stories, short features, and multi-platform storytelling.
Tessa Asamoah
Photo Editor, UNHCR
Tessa Asamoah
Photo Editor, UNHCR
Tessa Asamoah is a Photo Editor for UNHCR based in Madrid and has worked with the Photo Unit since 2009, supporting the strategic and ethical use of photography across the organisation.
Veejay Villafranca
Documentary Photographer
Veejay Villafranca
Documentary Photographer
Veejay Villafranca is a documentary photographer who explores the intersection of socio-political issues, public health, and Filipino spirituality.
