Trieste, Italy / São Paulo, Brazil – 29 October 2026 – The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) and the Conrado Wessel Foundation (FCW) have announced the 2027 edition of Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus, an international photo essay contest that invites photographers from the global South to explore scientific themes through photography.
TWAS is a programme unit of UNESCO dedicated to supporting scientific capacity and excellence in the global South. The Conrado Wessel Foundation promotes art, culture, and science through awards granted to individuals and institutions that excel in their fields.
The theme of the 2027 edition is “Moving Worlds: The Science of Movement,” focusing on the many forms of movement that shape life on Earth, from animal migrations and ocean currents to the movement of seeds, people, knowledge, and ideas.
The competition will spotlight scientific achievements, challenges, and human stories emerging from developing countries—all UNESCO Member States—using photography as a dynamic tool for science communication.
Moving Worlds: The Science of Movement
Nothing on Earth stands still. Birds travel thousands of kilometres between seasons. Fish follow routes older than memory. Seeds drift on the wind. Ocean currents carry nutrients across continents. People move, too, bringing with them knowledge, traditions, skills, and new ways of seeing the world.
Movement shapes the living world. It connects distant places, transforms environments, and leaves its mark on cities, coastlines, forests, fields, waterways, and communities. Scientists study these journeys to understand how species survive, how landscapes change, and how communities respond to shifting conditions.
“Through Southern Lenses seeks photographs that go beyond a single moment to tell a broader story about movement and its consequences. Images may reveal patterns unfolding over years, journeys measured in thousands of kilometres, or connections that are rarely visible to the naked eye,” said Marcelo Knobel, TWAS Executive Director.
“The theme of the 2027 edition invites us to look at movement not simply as physical displacement, but as a force that connects and transforms the natural and human worlds. Through photography, we can bring scientific processes and their consequences into focus, making them accessible and meaningful to wider audiences. We are proud to continue Through Southern Lenses and to create a space where scientific curiosity and photographic creativity meet,” said Carlos Vogt, CEO of the Conrado Wessel Foundation.
The 2027 theme welcomes images exploring migration, travel, circulation, and exchange in all their forms. Possible subjects include animal migrations, pollinators at work, seeds in flight, rivers carving new paths, ocean currents, changing agricultural practices, scientific collaboration, growing cities, transportation networks, and the movement of people across landscapes.
The selected works will be presented in an international exhibition celebrating the curiosity, observation, and creativity that lie at the heart of both science and photography.
“Moving Worlds: The Science of Movement” is the second edition of Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus, which was launched in 2025 to encourage photographers from the global South to use their images to communicate scientific questions and perspectives.
A world in motion is waiting to be seen. See it Through Southern Lenses.
Through Southern Lenses: southernlenses.org
About Through Southern Lenses
Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus is more than a photography competition—it is a platform for visual storytelling that transcends language and cultural barriers. In an era of rapid scientific advancement and escalating global challenges, photography offers a unique way to bring science closer to the public.
The initiative offers a USD 20,000 prize for the best photo essay, composed of 10 original images, that best represents the year’s theme. In the case of group submissions, the prize will be awarded to a designated representative.
Objectives
- Promote visual storytelling as a tool for science communication.
- Inspire public engagement and interest in science, especially in developing nations.
- Strengthen the relationship between science and society through accessible narratives.
- Provide international visibility to the work of scientists and artists in the global South
Eligibility and Guidelines
- Open to individuals or groups (authorship must be clearly declared) from the global South.
- Each photo essay must include 10 original photographs.
- AI-generated content will not be accepted.
- Finalists will be required to confirm authorship.
About TWAS
For over 40 years, The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) has been a leading force in developing crucial scientific capability in the global South. A global science academy founded in 1983 in Trieste, Italy, TWAS supports sustainable prosperity through research, education, policy, and diplomacy. With its partners, TWAS has graduated over 1,300 PhDs and awarded more than 2,300 postdoctoral fellowships to developing world scientists. The Academy also bestowed over 1,300 prizes, awarded over 2,870 research grants, trained over 850 individuals in science diplomacy, and supported over 1,400 exchange visits. TWAS is a programme unit of UNESCO.
About the Conrado Wessel Foundation (FCW)
The Conrado Wessel Foundation (FCW) supports charitable, cultural, artistic, and scientific initiatives in Brazil. Since 2002, FCW has awarded the prestigious FCW Prize to individuals and organizations of national distinction in various fields. The Foundation also hosts the annual FCW Photography Prize, which celebrates the work of outstanding Brazilian photographers.
Media Contact:
TWAS: Cristina Serra, Communications Assistant, cserra@twas.org; and Sean Treacy, Staff Writer, streacy@twas.org, TWAS Public Information Unit
FCW: Heitor Shimizu, heitor.shimizu@gmail.com; and Ana Paula Morales, ana.morales@abori.com.br, Communications Division