About
Shoot Nations is a joint partnership between Plan UK, Shoot Experience and the United Nations to encourage young people to express their thoughts on global issues through photography - a cross-cultural and language-free communication tool.
The Shoot Nations project includes an an annual photography competition, photography workshops, and a global touring exhibition. 2010's exhibition sat alongside the World Press Photo exhibition at the UN Secretariat building in New York City.
Shoot Nations is produced each year to coincide with the United Nations' International Youth Day, annually commemorated on 12 August.
Download the Shoot Nations 2009 brochure with info and images from 2006 to 2009 or view the Shoot Nations History section.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY - 12 August
The United Nation's International Youth Day gives the world an opportunity to recognise the potential of its youth and to celebrate their achievements. International Youth Day aims to assist and encourage young people to get involved with development. It presents a unique opportunity for all young people to take action, at the global, national and local levels, on issues relevant to themselves, and to the wider community. In line with the launch of the International Year of Youth that will take place on International Youth Day 2010, this year’s theme of the Day is “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”.
BECAUSE I AM A GIRL
Because I am a Girl is a series of reports and an annual campaign run by Plan to highlight the raw deal that girls are receiving in less developed regions.
The Because I am a Girl campaign aims to empower the world's poorest girls to combat the discrimination they face every day. Plan believe that girls' access to education will enable them to create more equal societies and break the cycle of poverty which can pass from mother to daughter.
Shoot Nations 2010 is addressing the challenges of an increasingly urban world. Whether living in the country, town or big city, we want to build a global picture of what urban environments mean to young people. Are the streets paved with gold? Or are they fraught with risk and difficulty? And how do the challenges of city living differ as a boy or a girl? How do young people navigate the unfamiliar and make themselves at home? The competition will also address the movement of people between rural and urban places, and the impact of migration and urbanisation on the people and places left behind.
The photos will provide a vivid illustration of this topic from many different viewpoints and cultures and from across the political spectrum and globe.