1st place
gold star award
Pascal Villeneuve
france
title
Bangladesh, Defying The Odds
My images speak to the effects of our rapidly changing ecosystem on the lives of ordinary children and young people, the growing inequities, the resilience and successful adaptation of a few contrasting with the growing vulnerability and desperation of far too many.
Raised in different cultures, biotopes and socio- economic environments, he came of age mindful of the diversity of human development dynamics, shaped by history, ethnicity and geography, and their impact on the environment.
Having trained in medicine and human nutrition, he then worked for three decades for UNICEF, the United Nations’ Children Fund, in Africa and Asia, as well as in New York and Geneva.
His first photography book is on Bangladesh, where he served as UNICEF Representative between 2012 and 1014. Pascal Villeneuve’s images speak to the effects of our rapidly changing ecosystem on the lives of normal people, the growing inequities, the resilience and successful adaptation of a few contrasting with the growing vulnerability and desperation of far too many.
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entry description
"Bangladesh, Defying the Odds" is a photographic project aiming to portrait ordinary people in Bangladesh, with a focus on children and young adults. It is a journey into resilient lives, lingering shadows and youth in transition. It acknowledges Bangladesh’s impressive socio-economic gains since the country became independent in 1971. It also highlights continuing challenges such as child marriage as well as the many adverse consequences of rising sea levels in a country which lies at the heart of the Ganges- Brahmaputra delta, the largest river delta on earth.My images speak to the effects of our rapidly changing ecosystem on the lives of ordinary children and young people, the growing inequities, the resilience and successful adaptation of a few contrasting with the growing vulnerability and desperation of far too many.
about the photographer
During his childhood Pascal Villeneuve lived in France as well as in Senegal, in the Congo and in New Caledonia.Raised in different cultures, biotopes and socio- economic environments, he came of age mindful of the diversity of human development dynamics, shaped by history, ethnicity and geography, and their impact on the environment.
Having trained in medicine and human nutrition, he then worked for three decades for UNICEF, the United Nations’ Children Fund, in Africa and Asia, as well as in New York and Geneva.
His first photography book is on Bangladesh, where he served as UNICEF Representative between 2012 and 1014. Pascal Villeneuve’s images speak to the effects of our rapidly changing ecosystem on the lives of normal people, the growing inequities, the resilience and successful adaptation of a few contrasting with the growing vulnerability and desperation of far too many.
back to gallery