Hội An — The Chàm Island Maritime Protection Centre has launched a photo contest, the Chàm Island-Hội An World Biosphere Reserve in My Eyes, to mark the 8^th anniversary of world recognition in 2017.

The centre said the contest, which opened from May this year, is open for Vietnamese and foreign photographers till next March.

The organising committee said photos can feature landscapes, people, nature, relics, environmental protection, crafts, festivals and biodiversity in Chàm Island, the biosphere reserve’s buffer zone and Hội An city.

Contestants can send up to 15 photos each.

The best 50 photos will go on display in an exhibition next May, and the award ceremony will be held on May 25^th.

The contest winner will get a cash prize of VNĐ8 million (US$356), while the runner and third place will take VNĐ5 million ($222) and VNĐ3 million ($133), respectively.

Five encouragement prizes will also  be awarded.

Competitors can send original photos to khusinhquyenculaocham@gmail.com.

The Chàm Island-Hội An World Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO in 2009, is home to 3,000 inhabitants living in eight islets with vast ecological diversity

The island, 20km off the coast of Hội An city, is a favourite eco-tour site for tourists, and was the first locality in Việt Nam to ban plastic bags and promote the 3-R (reduce, reuse and recycle) programme in 2011.

It hosts about 100,000 tourists annually, of which 10 per cent are foreigners.

The island is home to 1,500ha of tropical forests and 6,700ha of sea featuring a wide range of marine fauna and flora, including many endangered species such as salangane (swallows), the long-tailed monkey and the crab-eating macaque. — VNS