The winner of the photo-competition “Natura 2000 in the frame” is Levente Szekeres with his photo “Feeding”. The second prize was won by Violeta Milutinović with photo “Defiance”, while the third prize went to Anica Zupunski for the photo “Tisa’s flower”. The award ceremony was held online on through the EU Info Centre Facebook channel on Thursday, 17th December.
More than 1,500 photos took part in the contest that lasted from 14th September to 27th November, jointly organized by the Project “EU for Natura 2000 in Serbia” and the Energy Portal. The main prizes awarded to the winners were: 1st prize 60,000 dinars, 2nd prize 45,000 dinars, and 3rd prize – 35,000 dinars.
Amateur and professional photographers participated in this competition showing exceptional skills to capture interesting moments in the nature. The aim of this photo contest was to connect the importance of protection of biodiversity with the diversity of natural landscapes in Serbia and to especially highlight the sites that will be part of the future Natura 2000 network in Serbia. Also, one of the goals of the photo-competition was to show the beautiful landscapes in Serbia to wider public and to motivate and remind citizens to the importance of protection of the environment and diversity of flora and fauna.
“I am very glad that we got a lot of great photos and selected the three best ones that in this time of difficulties and isolation show life and movement, something that is close to our hearts and what we miss”, said Mr. Antoine Avignon, Project Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia in charge of Environment and Climate Change.
The jury was composed by: the Team Leader of the project “EU for Natura 2000 in Serbia” Ms. Ana Iñigo, the Project Manager in the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia responsible for environment and Climate Change Mr. Antoine Avignon, the National Coordinator of the Project from the Ministry of Environmental Protection – Sector for Nature Protection and Climate Change Ms. Snežana Prokić, the photographer Mr. Bojan Džodan, the multimedia artist Ms. Mina Radović and the Editor in Chief of Energy Portal Ms. Nevena Đukić, who selected 34 photos as finalists one during 11 weeks of the competition .
“This photo competition is important activity of the Project “EU for Natura 2000 in Serbia” and I am very glad that many photographers participated and we received great number of fantastic photos from the nature”, said a member of Jury, Project Manager in the Ministry of Environmental Protection – Sector for Nature Protection and Climate Change, Ms. Snežana Prokić.
The Natura 2000 is an international ecological network of protected areas that are classified into two categories according to the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. The project supports the Ministry of Environmental Protection to establish the first list of potential sites in Serbia that will be part of the European Natura 2000 network.
Due to a specific epidemiological situation the exhibition of the most successful photos is postponed and will be held once the conditions allow it, probably during spring 2021.
