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United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

A Photographic Essay Competition—2011!

is worth a thousand words and …

…

Create a story!

Based on the popular car game I Spy With My Little Eye, the 2011 NaYA CC project is designed to bring awareness and increase knowledge about interfaith, intercultural and spiritual relationships through photographs and essays. The I Spy With My Little Eye project captures stories of faith and culture through brilliant imagery and gives photographers (beginners and experts) an opportunity to share pictures that tell a story; real stories of real people, places and times. The mission of this competition is to create an exhibition of inspiring photographs that help us understand the Faiths of the World’s Religions, the world’s traditions and culture. The idea that “a picture is worth a thousand words” can work wonders in helping others to understand the complexity of an interfaith world. I Spy With My Little Eye is a peace initiative of Think Peace Media and Communications and NaYA CC. We are United Religions Initiative Cooperation Circles.

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MISSION

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

• The purpose of the competition is to inspire interfaith cooperation through imaging and storytelling;

• To share the stories of welcome and hospitality, illustrate cooperation and respect, and provide evidence of religious and cultural harmony throughout the world;

• To provide exhibitions for future events in support of interfaith work and collaboration;

• To provide support to cooperation circles and affiliates of United Religions Initiative;

• To introduce interfaith to a wider audience; and• To help build understanding of other cultures and faiths through a

myriad of voices and images.

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PURPOSE

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

The theme behind this competition is interfaith cooperation: offering groups and individuals an opportunity to share a story of communities organizing an event, religious traditions and rituals, women and children’s activities; imaginative photography that supports religious and faith traditions, supporting philosophical, sacred and spiritual texts, or illustrative images of people, places and times. There are no limits to the number of submissions, and the body of work presented and photographic entry must be a singular image. Telling a story with each image can be supplemented with quotes or an essay (limited to 150 words).The Arabic translation for ‘word’ is

pronounced ‘kalema.’

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

Photographer: Saba Al Muhtaseb

Examples

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

Hope

Photographer: P. K. McCary

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

Women of Faith at Rest

Photographer: Saba Al Muhtaseb

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

InterfaithCooperation

Mosque and Church in Harmony

Photographer: Barbara Hartford

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

Dialogue of Faiths

Photographer: Saba Al Muhtaseb

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

Never Forgotten

Quotes (religious, sacred or philosophical)Essays (150 words or less, original work)

Examples:“There’s a genius unique to each faith tradition.”

“Exercise of non-violence requires far greater bravery than that of swordsmanship.”

“The ultimate sense of security will be when we come to recognize thatwe are all part of one human race.”

1, 0 0 0 W O R DS

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

A Competition opened to URI Cooperation Circles and affiliates (individuals and groups). Submissions include:

• Photograph that tells one distinct story (e.g., peacebuilding, education, conflict resolution, environment, etc.)

• Each photograph should carry a caption that becomes the theme of the story being expressed.

• Submissions are to be sent during a 5-week period beginning February 7, 2011 (beginning during the annual World Interfaith Harmony week, a UN-approved proposal led by King Abdullah of Jordan) through April 11, 2011

• Judging will take place May 12-14 by a panel of judges that include professional photographers and members of URI’s staff and Think Peace and NaYA CCs.

• Photography Exhibit will take place in both San Francisco and Jordan, can be held in other regions organized by cooperation circles or affiliates.

• Exhibits can be with actual photographs or video/slide show in different regions.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

• Website page (introduction) by February 1, 2011• An online kit with rules and requirements for submission can be

downloaded from our website (1000KALEMA.org)by February 2, 2011 and photographs and essays can be sent to our email address at submissions@1000KALEMA.org starting February 7, 2011

• Site (in San Francisco and Jordan) for exhibits to be decided by May 15, 2011

• List of committed judges by February 7, 2011 and available at our website.• Sponsors (throughout process) (e.g., Nikon or Cannon, Professional

photographic societies/organizations, media, non-profits, governmental organizations).

• Screenings (judging process will be done through internet). Various galleries may be commissioned to show photographs in other regions of the World.

TIMETABLE

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

Middle EastMorad Al-Jarrah NaYA CCLinda Khouri Darat altasweer

United StatesP.K. McCary Think Peace Media and Communications NetworkRachael WatcherDon Frew Multi-Region Region for URI

URI Staff/San FranciscoBarbara Hartford

COMMITTEE

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

To introduce the world to the work of the interfaith community through various photographic journeys and essays from the following organizations:

United Religions Initiative Cooperation CirclesAffiliates of United Religions Initiative:

Peace and Religious OrganizationsWomen’s Organizations

Youth OrganizationsNon-Governmental Organizations

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

ORGANIZATIONS

Photographic Guidelines:

Photos must have the following resolution:For a 4" x 6" print, the image resolution should be 640 x 480 pixels minimum.For a 5" x 7" print, the image resolution should be 1024 x 768 pixels minimum.For an 8" x 10" print, the image resolution should be 1536 x 1024 pixels minimum.For a 16" x 20" print, the image resolution should be 1600 x 1200 pixels minimum.

Photos must be well-lighted and have enormous clarity. Submissions will be judged on a photo’s clarity, expression and creativity. Submissions must be sent individually with the following information:

Name: ____________________________ Organization: ________________________________________Faith Tradition: ______________________ Place of Origin: ______________________________________Theme: _______________________________________________________________________________Title: __________________________________ Size/Resolution: _________________________________Contact Information (Address, Email, Phone): ________________________________________________

Essay/Quote Guidelines:

Each essay or quote must support the picture and its theme. Essays are limited to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit for content. More thorough guidelines will be available on our website at www.1000kalema.org.

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

GUIDELINES

The selection and award process:There will be two screenings.

First screening Selection will be done by “I Spy With My Little Eye” artistic and editorial staff. The first screening will be conducted to accept or reject the submitted works for each international region.Within 1 week after the reception of the images sent for consideration of the jurors in the first screening, submitters will be notified by email detailing which series have been accepted and which have been rejected. Together with the notification’s email a brief structured feedback will be provided.Second screening Second selection will be done by the judges.Accepted images of the first screening will catalogued and judged. Those works which passed the first screening will be exhibited for one year in the online gallery, and available for sale (postcards, posters). A book will be published and available for sale at a date to be announced. There will be:

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Winners and Honorable Mentions

Entrants of the second screening will receive the following awards.High tech camera equipment, film and lens.Honorable mentions receive a poster of photograph(s)During the second screening, the above pictures will be selected to be featured in book I Spy With My Little Eye, a publication of Think Peace Media and Communications Network. Each individual or group whose pictures are used will receive a copy of the publication.

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

GUIDELINES CONT’D.

The events or showings will take place in both a gallery in the Middle East andNorth America. Subsequent showings will be commissioned throughout theYear as fundraisers for cooperation circles. Gallery showings can also include dialogue or discussions about Interfaith.

For more information contact us at submissions@1000kalema.org. To be a sponsor, call us at 831-250-6860 or email P.K. McCary at office@thinkpeaceradio.net.

We believe that people can “spy” with their eyes and create a better world.

P.K. McCary and Morad Al-Jarrah, Partners

United Religions Initiative (“URI”)Cooperation Circle

Future Events and Contact Info