All who joined, wins
On 28 November 2023, the fourth installment of The Secrets of Grasslands photo competition was awarded.Exhibition of the 30 best photos was opened at the Herman Ottó Conference Centre.
The Secrets of Grasslands photo competition was launched in 2020 by Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd. and its project partners in the framework of the Grassland-HU LIFE integrated project, focuses on the conservation of grassland habitats.
The competition, open to amateur and professional photographers alike, focused on plant species in the first year, invertebrates the second year and vertebrates last year. 2023's challenge was to depict our grazing native breeds of cattle, sheep and horse and their canine companions in the Hungarian landscape.
In his welcome speech, managing director Péter Bozzay thanked the jury for their work and highlighted the difficult task they had undertaken with professionalism and humility. He praised the work of the photographers and nature lovers and praised the quality of the entries.
Nature, including Pannonian grasslands, is our heritage, our tradition, we must take care of. These areas and breeds are also important because they are the basis of Hungarian food.. All who have submitted their pictures for the competition are definitely winners, because they have a love for nature they can carry forward in their lives, said state secretary Márton Nobilis in his opening speech.
The State Secretary for Food Industry and Trade Policy recalled that he has loved nature since his childhood, and has been walking in the woods with the Regnum Marianum community since he was a kindergartener and a schoolboy. He has explored the landscapes of Hungary, its mountains, valleys, lakes and rivers. Photography has become easier today with technological progress, but also more difficult in terms of which pictures are considered valuable, added the jury president of the photo competition.
After the opening, Imre Potyó, environmental researcher, nature photographer and staff member of the Danube-Ipoly National Park Directorate, gave a talk about his photographic adventures.
Nearly 500 entries were received for the Secrets of Grasslands IV photo competition.
Members of the jury
Nobilis Márton, State Secretary for Food Industry and Trade Policy, President of the Jury
Molnár Zsolt, botanist, ethnoecologist, PhD, head of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge research group of the Centre for Ecological Research
Barta Sándor, multi-generational heardsman from Kunmadaras
Potyó Imre, environmental researcher, staff member of the Danube-Ipoly National Park Directorate
Papp László, regional manager of the Hungarian Sheep and Goat Breeders Association
Putz Csaba, Deputy Managing Director of the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd.
The prizes were handed over by State Secretary Márton Nobilis and Director Barbara Bezegh.
Winners of the under-18 category
I. place: Máté Gazsi – Aki a virágot szereti (Who loves flowers)
II. place Zsófia Nagy – Pásztorélet (Shepherd's life)
III. place: Anna Kőszegi-Kövér – A nap kapuőrei (Gatekeepers of the day)
Winners of the over 18 category
I. place: Tímea Ambrus – Forgalom (Traffic)
II. place Tamás Koncz-Bisztricz – Kakukk kecske (Cuckoo goat)
III. place: Eszter Kövesi – Sárfürdő (Mud bath)
The Audience Award winner was Martin Nádasi's image - A lemenő nap fényében (In the Light of the Setting Sun) - with 1027 votes, based on more than 11,500 likes on the project's Facebook page.
Congratulations to all applicants and winners!
Source: Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd.
