There are innumerable ways that rural areas are special. Local communities know best the vast potential of their area's natural and cultural heritage. A photo contest – ongoing now and through to 31 October – aims to shed light on that potential.

Individuals and organisations are invited to submit photos of one (or more!) of the 36 rural areas participating in the Photo Contest (details below). The images should reflect the uniqueness of the rural territories and celebrate their natural and cultural heritage.

Furthermore, participants are encouraged to use their images to highlight the local regeneration actions being taken on in the rural area. These actions can be identified across six 'Systemic Innovation Areas' (SIAs): Pilgrimage, Resilience, Sustainable Local Food Production, Integrated Landscape Management, Migration, and Art and Festivals.

The photo contest is being organised within the scope of the RURITAGE project, which seeks to transform rural areas into laboratories of sustainable development, building on the enhancement of their exceptional cultural and natural heritage potential. Images of any of the 19 rural areas that are part of the project as pilot areas, Role Models, or Replicators, or those depicting any of the 17 additional Replicator areas, are all eligible for the contest.

The best photos submitted will be displayed at the UNESCO Headquarters, as well as highlighted on the websites of the project and its partners, including UNESCO, ICLEI Europe, University of Bologna and many more. The winner of the RURITAGE photo contest will be invited to the project's final conference, which will take place in Paris (France) in 2022.

For more information about the RURITAGE Photo Contest, click here. To read detailed contest rules, click here.

Submit your photos via this form for your chance to win!