I'm back

With that promise to be back I disappeared!

The Worldwide Moment, apparently, was quite successful. 1,283 Photos were submitted from 62 countries. There were some really beautiful images and some that I found plain silly. You can view them all here.

As for me, I couldn't get a camera. The Moment guys wrote me that they were trying some camera companies to donate some low-end cameras but guess that didn't happen.

Meanwhile life has taken up such a lovely course. I'm completely immersed in my work with Women For A Change. We planned a Worldwide Tree Planting event in support of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. Sadly not many people came forward to join this event, but it was a good beginning :)

And then we were so caught up with planning our event in support of the 16 Days of Activism. We planned, and we changed plans and as usual everyone came together with a huge vision.

So now we are running a global campaign - A Safe World For Women which will go beyond the 16 days, in fact, it will culminate on the centenary of International Women's Day.

More on it very soon.

Yes, this time it will be soon :)

Worldwide Moment - Simultaneous Photo Shoot for Peace

This is called irony! My camera (nothing fancy; just your very regular Nicon Coolpix) has conked off and here I am, finding one photography event after another. Time to buy a real good camera? But where is the money, honey!

Anyways, here is something I would love to be a part of. So many people clicking for a single aim, at a single moment, across the world!

On 9th September, at 09:09 (+9 GMT) people will be taking photographs for world peace and international collaboration. As I write this post the website announces participation of 850 people from 67 countries. There are still fifteen days left for the event and I'm sure numbers are going to shoot up as the word spreads.

In India, the 'Moment' will be on 9th September at 5:49 AM; a little tricky time for a sleep loving soul like me. But you know what; they are offering to give you a camera if you don't have one but want to be a part of the moment! I'm going to give it a try NOW. Will keep you all posted.

Meanwhile, here are the details.

The Legatum Center at MIT Announces Its 2nd Annual Photo Contest

Another photo contest opportunity – The Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT invites amateur and professional photographers from around the world to enter its second Annual Photo Contest.

This year’s theme is Women's Entrepreneurship: Empowerment through Innovation. The contest is open to all photographers globally, and in addition aims to spotlight photographers from India, Kenya, and Mexico.

Four winners will receive $500 each, be announced at the Legatum Center’s Annual Conference in October, and have their photos featured on the Center’s website.

The deadline for submissions is September 13, 2009, 5 pm EST. Please check out the photo contest website, http://decompetition.mit.edu, for more details, or go to http://legatum.mit.edu to learn more about the Center.

Here are last year's winning image:

For All You Photographers - UNESCO Photo Contest 2009: Promoting Gender Equality in Education

I was just doing some 'roaming around' the web world and found that deadline is fast approaching for UNESCO's photo competition. Here are the details:

Through 31 July 2009
Host / Sponsor: UNESCO Bangkok and UN Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI)

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Bangkok along with the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) in East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) and South Asia (SA) is holding a photo competition as part of an initiative to promote gender equality in education

Competition Details

Theme: Reversing Realities: Seeking Gender Equality in Education

Awards: 13 contest winners will receive official certificates of merit. The winning photographs will also be featured in the UNESCO Bangkok and UNGEI (EAP and SA) “Gender in Education Calendar 2010”, which is to be distributed widely throughout Asia and beyond. The winning photographs will be posted on the organizers’ respective websites.

Submission Deadline: 31 July, 2009

More Details here.

Kingfisher Airlines Pilots - How Loyal?

Read this news in today's Mumbai Mirror, according to which "Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines has the dubious distinction of having the maximum cases of pilots found under the influence of alcohol before take-off." Hope they were, at least loyal, to their big boss - Vijay Mallya and his Kingfisher beer!

And hope they are not like this pilot: