PEMSEA, HP Philippines launch EAS Congress 2009 Regional Photo Contest

Manila, Philippines - In line with the activities leading to the East Asian Seas Congress 2009, PEMSEA and HP Philippines together launch the East Asian region-wide Photo Contest with the theme, “The Coast, The Ocean, My Community” on 15 July 2008. The contest has three categories (Youth, Hobbyist and Professional) and is open to nationals of the East Asian region.

The photo tilt will emphasize the importance of turning knowledge and concern about the coastal and marine environment into on-the-ground actions. It aims to generate awareness on local and national ocean-, coastal-, environment-related initiatives of each country and to increase participation of the communities in these activities.

Photographs must demonstrate local actions/implementation and good practices in sustainable coastal and ocean protection, development and management. These can show local and national initiatives that address natural and man-made hazard prevention and management; habitat protection, restoration and management; water use and supply management; food security and livelihood management and pollution reduction and waste management. There is no limit on the number of entries an entrant can send in.

Photos must be high-quality prints or digital files and can be in color or black & white. These should not have been previously published, printed or sold commercially, displayed or won any prize or distinction in another competition. Entries will be evaluated based on the following criteria: relevance to the theme, composition/creativity and technical quality.

The contest consists of two rounds of evaluation. The initial screening will be conducted by the PEMSEA National Focal Points who will choose the top 3 entries of his country. The country finalists will then move on to the final round of judging and compete for the grand prize. One grand prizewinner will be chosen for each category (Youth, Hobbyist, and Professional). The three grand prizewinners will each receive an HP F4185 Printer and a complimentary registration to attend the 2009 EAS Congress at Manila, Philippines. A special award will also be given to the Online Favorite that will be chosen through online voting.

Deadline for submission of entries is on 31 December 2008.

For details and contest rules, please email congress@pemsea.org or visit www.pemsea.org/eascongress

About the Congress
The East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress is a triennial event that was first conducted in 2003. It is a pioneering region-wide platform for capacity building, strategic action and cooperation for the sustainable development of the Seas of East Asia. The Congress will feature the Third Ministerial Forum, the International Conference on Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Development, the Third EAS Partnership Council Meeting, the Second EAS Youth Forum, an Environmental Exhibition on Good Practices and Innovative Technologies, Field Visits, and other side events. It will bring to Manila experts and practitioners from the region and outside, as well as government officials, NGOs and the private sector to tackle implementation issues in the coastal and ocean zones including the impact of climate change and other natural and man-made hazards.

About PEMSEA
PEMSEA was first established in 1993 as the Regional Programme on the Prevention and Management of Marine Pollution in the East Asian Seas. In 1999, it entered its second phase as the Regional Programme on Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia. PEMSEA was transformed from a project-based initiative into a regional coordinating mechanism for the implementation of the SDS-SEA in December 2006. Participating countries of PEMSEA are Cambodia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

The objective of PEMSEA is to coordinate and support the efforts of participating governments and non-state partners to develop and manage the coastal and marine environment and resources of the Seas of East Asia in a sustainable manner in accordance with the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA). The SDS-SEA was adapted by participating countries in 2003, as their common framework for managing marine and coastal resources sustainably, as well as a platform for intergovernmental and multisectoral cooperation. PEMSEA receives financial support from the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as the executing agency.

About HP
HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers – from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world’s largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $110.4 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

PEMSEA
PEMSEA Office Bldg., DENR Compound, Visayas Ave., Quezon City
9292992
mmuy@pemsea.org
www.pemsea.org

Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) - evolving from a regional project into a regional collaborative mechanism - continues to build and strengthen coastal and ocean governance in the seas of East Asia through intergovernmental, interagency and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

This release was published on openPR.