Memories of Mankind VIII Forum Ending Successfully

Winning photographers came to the Hot Spring Conference Center at 8:30, June 22, 2014, half an hour earlier than the scheduled time to give more time to the conference speakers.

The first speaker is Mr. Matthew Kelly, a judge of HPA2013 Jury, who came to work in Beijing in 2007. He introduced HPA and the jury work, shared his views on his favorite winning works, and presented his own photos about Beijing life.

The second is Mr. Dheeraj Paul from India. In 2013, he went to photograph the Kumbh Mela, once every 12 years and one of the biggest folk festivals in the world. It was interesting and hard work. A Chinese photographer asked him how to deal with portrait right. He said simply, “Run!” Indian photographers are lucky because polices are not allowed to touch people with cameras.

Mr. Jose Manuel Ramirez, member of HPA2013 Jury from Spain, presented a speech more philosophical and theoretical. He started from a point and then extended to include the whole universe. However, the starting and returning point is one word, “love”.

Ms. Dawazhanma is from a village in Tibet. She is studying in a US college now. She told her story of discovering folklore culture and tradition. Also it is a way of self-discovery, getting to know one’s heritage from ancestors and forefathers.

The last one is Ms Rozenn Leboucher. However, it was nearly 12 o’clock at noon when Dawazhanma finished. Mr. Shen Che consulted with Ms. Rozenn Leboucher and changed it to the afternoon. From 2:30 to 4:30, Ms. Rozenn Leboucher interviewed four winning photographers, Mr. Yang Shen from China with his Nostagia of the Old Public Bathhouse, Mr. Pankov Mikhail with his Erzya Wedding Ceremony, Mr. Zheng Guoqiang with his The Tujia Dancing Women, and Mr. Croitoru Bogdan Alexandru with his Romanian Gypsy Brick Makers.

The last program for the afternoon is a short speech from Mr. Patrick Gallaud, President of NGO-UNESCO Liaison Committee and President of International NGO Conference. He extended his congratulations and also said that, the HPA2013 DVD will be broadcast on the International NGO Conference to be held in Bulgaria in December, 2014.