An exhibition to celebrate our differences, in partnership with UNESCO and CANON
Launched in April, the aim of the ‘Let’s Celebrate our Differences’ photo challenge was to highlight rugby’s link to diversity and inclusion, and more broadly its commitment to the fight against racism, LGBTIphobia and all forms of discrimination.
At the end of the challenge, which featured amateur photographers from five continents, 12 photos from France, Argentina, Uganda, India and Vietnam were selected as winners and awarded prizes. They will be displayed on the gates of UNESCO’s headquarters in the seventh arrondissement of Paris until the end of August, before being shared by the local authorities of the Rugby World Cup 2023 host cities.
The winning photos:
- CANON’S FAVOURITES
- Le rugby n’a pas d’âge (Rugby is ageless) – Stéphane Vignes
- Quel match ! (What a match!) – Patricio Agustin Cabezas
- On s’en fout… on joue (Who cares? Play on) – René Rul
- Le rugby pour les filles et les garçons (Rugby is for girls and boys) – Paul Chérèque
- AMATEUR CATEGORY
- Unis par le même but (United by the same goal) – Patrick Loste
- Âmes éveillées” (“Awakened souls) – Arpan Basu Chowdhury
- Le rugby de toutes les couleurs (Rugby of all colours) – Paul Chérèque
- Le sourire de l’espoir (The smile of hope) – Arpan Basu Chowdhury
- ESPOIR CATEGORY
- Passion de père en fils (Passion from father to son) – Ysée Amar
- Le rugby et les enfants malentendants (Rugby and hearing-impaired children) – Bui Thien Hien
- Le rugby, école de la vie’ (Rugby, a school for life) – Ysée Amar
- Course d’espoir (Race of hope) – Hassan Omar Wamwayi
These 12 photos illustrate the power of rugby to celebrate differences, accelerate the inclusion of people with disabilities and challenge all forms of discrimination.
Jacques RIVOAL, Chairman of France 2023, said: “Rugby is one of the few sports where all profiles can excel. Rugby is like life itself: plural and collective. Each person has its own way to play rugby but, as in life, it's the sum of our differences that makes us move forward in harmony. With Rugby World Cup France 2023, we thought it was necessary to celebrate the diversity that makes up rugby.
“With the ‘Let’s Celebrate our Differences’ challenge, we called on everyone's creativity to showcase the best in rugby and diversity. We hope that it will enable everyone to identify with our sport, which is meant to be open and inclusive.”
Gabriela RAMOS, Assistant Director-General for UNESCO’s Social and Human sciences programme, said: “The fight against inequality, the promotion of social inclusion and promoting values through sport are in the DNA of UNESCO's Social and Human Sciences programme at UNESCO. This partnership was an obvious choice. Image is important because it is through image that our differences are recognised. We are prepared to accept it and celebrate it. Combined with sport, it shows us the unifying power of sport. This is one of the key messages for our ‘Fit for Life’ initiative.”
Patrick CHAPUIS, Chairman of CANON France, said: “The CANON Group is proud to partner the photographic challenge ‘Let’s Celebrate our Differences’ organised as part of Rugby World Cup 2023, of which our brand is an is an Official Supplier. This is a committed initiative that highlights meaningful images diversity and with a direct link to rugby. This project fits in perfectly with our corporate philosophy, Kyosei, which means ‘living and working together for the common good’. For nine decades, CANON has enabled the world to express themselves through photography. We are therefore delighted to have contributed to bringing these photos to light and the stories they tell and would like to offer our warmest congratulations to the winners of this challenge.”
Photo Credit:
"Le Sourire de l'espoir" (The Smile of hope) - Arpan Basu Chowdhury