Contest focuses on human trafficking

Local photographers are invited to enter into BC Teen Challenge’s Break the Chains social awareness photography contest.

Drawing from issues of local or global human trafficking, entries may have a geographical origin either locally in the Kelowna area, in Canada, or globally capturing issues of social injustice.

There are an estimated 27 million slaves around the world.

Human trafficking involves people that are coerced to do what others would never do freely: young girls being sold by their families, women and girls trapped in the sex trade, children drugged and forced to fight as soldiers, men bonded in labor mines and farms, women enslaved in quarries and households.

Images inspire people to act.

The purpose of this photo contest is to encourage public dialogue on the issues of human trafficking, using real life photos as a catalyst for education, cultural understanding, and social action.

The contest closes September 9, 2011.

A panel of judges will decide the top five photographs, with the Grand Prize winner selected by September 12, 2011.

The Grand Prize winner will receive $250 cash.

The top five photographs will be displayed in a photography exhibition at the “ Good Night, Red Light” a sex trafficking social awareness evening on September 25, 2011 at the Kelowna Art Gallery.

Submissions must be e-mailed to [email protected] and must not be larger than 4 MB in size.

All submissions must be original photographs that have not been previously sold.

Two entries will be accepted per person.

More information can be found at the Break The Chains facebook page.