Peru - Today (09/06), the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) and the photography school Image Center (Centro de la Imagen) opened an exhibition at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with prize-winning photographs from the I am a Peruvian migrant (Soy Migrante Peruano in Spanish) contest.

The contest offered Peruvians living abroad with an opportunity to express their migratory experience through images. More than 150 photographs were submitted by participants in two categories: professional and amateur. Cash prizes were given to the first, second and third place respectively in each category.

“The year I arrived in Spain meant leaving my family, my friends and my job in Peru to adapt to a different society, culture, city and other way of living,” said Gary Manrique, a Peruvian living in Spain.

“That is why I self-portrayed my life in Madrid and captured my everyday life as a migrant in a new city.” Manrique won first place in the Professional Category with his photography series ‘Self-portraits of my first year’ (Autorretratos de mi primer año en España in Spanish).

Second prize in the Professional Category was awarded to Irene Diaz Bazan, who lives in Atlanta, USA, with ‘Not one more deportation’ (Ni una más deportación), a photograph series that shows an activist protesting against deportations. The third-place prize was awarded to Renzo Sedano, who lives in New York, with his photography series named ‘Roots’ (Raíces).

In the Amateur Category, the first place was awarded to Ludovico Alcorta Prochazka, who lives in the Netherlands, with a photograph titled ‘A constant in a world of flow’ (Una constant en un mundo de flujo), followed by Milagros Urbina Meza, who lives in Spain, with ‘Our ships do not have borders’ (Nuestros barcos no tienen fronteras) and Jose Luis Tapia Conozco, who resides in Italy, in third place with ‘Return home’ (Retorno a casa).

Jose Ivan Davalos, IOM Peru Chief of Mission, pointed out the importance of exploring the experiences of Peruvians living abroad: “We are sure that the contest will generate reflection about migratory issues and will promote dialogue concerning the benefits human mobility brings, as well as the challenges it represents.”

Ambassador Enrique Bustamante, Director General of Peruvian Communities Abroad and Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Roberto Huarcaya, a recognized Peruvian photographer as well as founder and Director of the Image Center, participated in the opening ceremony.

The contest judges included representatives for the organizing institutions, and award-winning photographers such as the Peruvians Jaime Razuri and Camila Rodrigo, and Pulitzer Prize winner, Argentine Rodrigo Abd.

The photographs will be exhibited between June and September in several parks and public locations around Lima, Peru’s capital.

The photographs can also be seen at the Soy Migrante Peruano Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/soymigrantePeruano/
Winning photographs: http://bit.ly/2rGfS07
Finalists: http://bit.ly/2ssEuaN

For further information, please contact Ines Calderon at IOM Peru, Tel: +51 1 633 0000, Email: icalderon@iom.int