ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Just a few days to enroll in “Obiettivo Terra 2026”, the geographical-environmental photography contest reached this year at the 17th edition, promoted by Fondazione UniVerde, Società Geografica Italiana and Federparchi. The contest, which from this year is deeply renewed and is enriched with new prestigious collaborations, sees as partners: Group FS, one of the most important and historical industrial realities of the country, at the center of the system of national and international sustainable mobility; Haiki+, a company listed at Euronext Growth Milan among the leaders in the circular economy sector in Italy; Comset, of the Sphere S.p.A. group, for 40 years one of the major realities in the food wrapping market and domestic products. Digital partner Bluarancio. Photographers can still participate by April 15th (date of closing the competition), sending a color image taken in an Italian Protected Area among those selectable during registration. Important news for the 2026 edition is the extension of the protected areas covered by photo shoots: in addition to the National, Regional, Interregional parks, Marine Protected Areas, State and Regional Reserves, photos of amateurs will be able to apply to the competition also images of Siti Rete Natura 2000 (SIC, ZSC, ZPS), Biosphere Reserves, UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Participation is open to all nationals, Italians and foreigners, residents or domiciled in Italy, who are 18 years old by April 15 and is totally free. Just fill out the online form, available on the portal www. objectiveterra.eu, and upload a color photograph according to the technical characteristics provided by the Regulation. Only one photo per participant is allowed. The mission of “Obiettivo Terra” is to raise public awareness on the importance of biodiversity and environmental conservation, and to promote the production and collection of works of artistic and scientific nature to increase the knowledge of the Italian environmental heritage in order to promote its defence and valorise the landscapes, ecosystems, villages, peculiarities and traditions of food and wine Ares, agricultural, artisanal, historical and cultural and social diffusion A tribute to Italy, a leading country in Europe for the biodiversity of flora and fauna and to Mother Earth, increasingly marred by pollution and cementification.
The award ceremony of the competition will be held in Rome, on May 22, 2026 on the occasion of the International Day of Biodiversity announced by the United Nations to celebrate the date of adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (approved from the first World Summit of the Earth held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992), and the European Day of the Parks (24 May) appointed by the European Federation of Parks (EUROPARC) to remember the day in which, was established in 1909. The winning photograph of “Obiettivo Terra 2026” will be awarded a prize of 1,000 (euro thousand) and will be donated a license plate by promoters, as well as the honor of being exposed to the public in gigantography in Rome. The lucky shot will also be dedicated to the cover of the book “Obiettivo Terra 2026: l’Italia beloved by Italians”. In addition to the first prize, the winners of the 11 Mentions will be awarded among the eligible photos for each of the following categories: Trees and forests (in collaboration with the Command Forest, Environmental and Food Units of Carabinieri); Coastal area (in collaboration with the Corps of the Harbour offices – Guardia Costiera); Avifauna (in collaboration with LIPU); Borghi (at the most beautiful photo of a village located inside an Italian Protected Area, in collaboration with the Association “I Borghi più belli d’Italia”); Wildlife (in collaboration with WWF Italy); Rivers and lakes (in collaboration with UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme); Sea objective (at the best underwater photo taken in an Italian protected marine area, in collaboration with Marevivo); Agricultural landscape (in collaboration with Fondazione Campagna Amica); Geological heritage and geodiversity (in collaboration with the Italian Society of Environmental Geology – SIGEA); Stories (at the most beautiful vertical photo of an Italian Protected Area, in collaboration with InflueXpert); Sustainable tourism (in collaboration with the Italian Touring Club). For the 2026 edition are also established 3 Special Mentions, whose decree is entrusted to the partners of the contest: “Italian Destination 2026” (at the most beautiful photo of an Italian Protected Area reached by train, in collaboration with Group FS. In the field notes it will be necessary to write “Treno” in order to compete both for the special mention and for the first prize and other awards in palio); “Rete Natura 2000” (at the most beautiful photo of a Site of Community Interest – SIC, Special Area of Conservation – ZSC or Special Protection Zone – ZPS, in collaboration with Comset); “Parchi dalalto” (to the most beautiful photo of an Italian Protected Area taken from a panoramic point, from the sky or even with authorized drones, in collaboration with Haiki+). It will also be awarded the “Parco inclusive 2026”, in collaboration with Fiaba, the Italian Protected Area that has been more distinguished through concrete initiatives in favor of accessibility and usability for people with disabilities and reduced mobility. The competition, which has no purpose of profit, has received in the years prestigious institutional awards such as: Medaglie and High Patronage of the President of the Republic, the patronage of the Senate of the Republic and of the Chamber of Deputies, the patronage of the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Culture and Sport and Young People, together with that of all Italian National Parks and numerous other Institutions. With about 18,000 candidates in these years, “Objective Earth” is also the largest national photographic archive on the Protected Areas of Italy and every year involves hundreds of young people. Thematic selections of images were the subject of national and international exhibitions, among the many, at the UN in New York (2015, 2016 and 2017) and at the FAO in Rome in 2020. Technical partners: Parks.it, SOS Terra, Fiaba, Earth Day Italia, ANBI, FSCItaly, Pixcube, Planet Foresty, Aracne. Media partners: Askanews, Italpress, TeleAmbiente, Lifegate, Opera2030, Trekking&Outdoor, Eco in Città.
– photo print office UniVerde Foundation –
(ITALPRESS).
