Cangzhou – October 29, 2026 -- Photographers and video creators worldwide can enter the 2026 Nandagang International Wetland Photo Contest for free until November 28, 2026, with a US$1,500 Grand Prize on offer. The contest is part of Global Wetland Week, a campaign launched by the Cangzhou International Communication Center.
Six categories cover landscapes, birds, people and video
Entries fall under the theme "Together for Wetlands." The categories are Global Wetlands; Wetlands and Migratory Birds; People and Wetlands; Nandagang Wetland; Youth Imaging for entrants under 28; and Wetland Conservation Stories, which is a video category.
The contest is open to photographers, videographers, nature observers and young creators. Beyond the Grand Prize, organizers promise additional cash prizes, special awards and honorable mentions. A ten-member international jury will review the entries.
Entries are submitted online, with email available as a backup. The organizers' website lists the full eligibility requirements, technical specifications and copyright terms.
Nandagang's bird counts have grown more than sevenfold since 2019
Nandagang Wetland sits in Cangzhou, Hebei Province. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, a link in a flyway that spans about 22 countries.
According to the Cangzhou Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, more than 300 hectares of wetland have been restored in recent years. Migratory bird numbers rose from about 20,000 in 2019 to more than 150,000 in 2025. Recorded bird species increased from 268 in 2021 to 274.
Judge and UNDP official tie images to conservation
Mario Suárez Porras, president of AFONAS and a judge this year, said, "photography is a way to connect people with nature and inspire its conservation."
Reflecting on the inaugural edition, Ma Chaode, Assistant Resident Representative at UNDP in China, called wetlands the "Kidneys of the Earth." He said the images collected showed humans and nature coexisting and described them as a typical case for promoting global ecological civilization.
The contest is organized by the Cangzhou International Communication Center and hosted by Xinhuanet North America, with media support from Xinhuanet Hebei Channel.