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International affairs and multimedia production

The actors

> 200 applying photographers.
> 33 participating countries.
> 2 media partnerships : RFI & Jeune Afrique.
> 2 partner institutions : EU & AU.

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Expectations

Communicating dialogue during the AU Summit of Heads of State which took place in Addis Ababa in 2011 to promote in an original and meaningful way the partnership approach between the Europe and the African continent, and between the EU and the AU as institutions. Advocate in favour of the diversity of Africa, away from the usual and enduring clichés.

Aday (in Africa) Afro food... for thought : Senegal

See also

The context

The issues addressed together by the EU and the AU in their dialogue are often very technical and political in nature. These institutions experience naturally difficulties in communicating to a wider popular audience : it was thus decided to set up a cultural event that would generate public attention on the margin of Summit between both institutions.

To conceive and carry out, within the space of a few months, a cultural event to be held during the African Union shared value summit within the framework of the Africa-EU partnership in Addis Abeba in Ethiopia. To organise an original photography competition to reflect on the Africa that is far from stereotypes, and to promote a positive and nuanced vision of the continent.

Three months : the time given by the European Union and the African Union to Collateral Creations to conceive, organise and promote an ambitious photography competition aimed at professional photographers living on the African continent.

Methodology

A large targeted communication campaign, using a network of photographers and partnerships with local press organisations, ensured wide visibility for the event.

In total, more than 200 photographers from 33 African countries submitted work for the first edition of this competition.

An international jury made up of the Malian photographer Malik Sidibé and Christine Barthe, head of the Quai Branly museum photo archives in Paris, awarded an overall first prize, as well as five regional prizes (North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa and Southern Africa).

The selected photographers participated in a 3-day workshop run by Collateral Creations in Addis Abeba. They had to produce individual photo essays on the theme of « the new Addis ». Their work was then exhibited at the Ethiopian-French Alliance in Addis Abeba in February 2011, and some features were published in the Jeune Afrique magazine.

slideshow workshop winners in addis from Collateral Creations on Vimeo.

The project enjoyed extensive media coverage thanks to a partnerships with Radio France Internationale, the leading radio station in French-speaking Africa, as well as Afrique in Visu and the Jeune Afrique magazine.

Filmed interviews - la Beauté en Afrique by Collateral Creations on Vimeo.

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