The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has invited Pakistani citizens to participate in the ECO International Mobile Photography Festival 2026.
The competition offers photographers an opportunity to showcase Pakistan’s cultural heritage through mobile photography.
The festival is being organised by the ECO Cultural Institute (ECI) under the theme “Our Heritage”. This year’s focus, “Passing on Heritage,” highlights traditions, skills, customs and cultural knowledge transferred from one generation to another.
Competition Open to Amateur and Professional Photographers
The competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers aged 15 years or above.
Citizens from all 10 member countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) can participate. These countries include Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Each participant can submit a maximum of three photographs. Every photograph will be judged separately.
Participants are encouraged to capture different forms of cultural heritage. These may include traditional handicrafts, carpet weaving, embroidery, pottery, folk music and traditional ceremonies.
Photographs can also highlight cultural customs, farming knowledge, storytelling, poetry and oral traditions.
Strict Mobile Photography and Editing Rules
All entries must be captured using a mobile phone camera.
Photographs taken with DSLR, mirrorless, compact or action cameras will not be accepted. Drone photography is also prohibited.
The organisers have also placed restrictions on artificial intelligence. AI-generated images and AI-based editing that changes the actual content of a photograph are not permitted.
However, basic photo adjustments are allowed. Participants can modify brightness, exposure, contrast, white balance, colour, sharpness and noise.
Cropping is also permitted, provided it does not change the original content of the photograph.
Entries must be submitted in JPEG or PNG format. The shortest side of each photograph must measure at least 2,000 pixels.
The maximum file size is 10 MB.
Photographs containing watermarks, signatures, logos or text will not be accepted.
Participants must provide their full name, nationality, country and city of residence, email address and phone number.
Each photograph must also have an English title, a description of no more than 100 words, and information about the location and date where it was taken.
Submission Deadline and Festival Schedule
The deadline for submitting photographs is September 12, 2026.
The jury will evaluate the entries between September 13 and September 23. The winners are scheduled to be announced on September 24.
A closing ceremony and physical exhibition of selected photographs will be held on October 4.
An online gallery featuring selected entries is scheduled to open on October 5, 2026.
Participants can submit their photographs through the official ECO Cultural Institute website or by email according to the festival’s submission guidelines.
Winners to Receive Trophies and Cash Prizes
The first, second and third-place winners will receive trophies, certificates of honour and cash prizes.
Their winning photographs will also be featured in the festival catalogue.
The organisers have not yet announced the exact cash prize amounts.
A separate Certificate of Recognition will be presented to the highest-ranked eligible photograph from each ECO member country.
The festival provides Pakistani photographers with an opportunity to present the country’s diverse cultural heritage to an international audience using a device that is widely accessible: the mobile phone.
