Downtown Africa
On August 10, 2021, Canon EMEA announced that it will participate in sponsorship of the tenth anniversary edition of Uganda Press Photo Awards 2021. Canon has been collaborating with UPPA in the past for several years with this year being the seventh consecutive year. Building further on the company’s corporate philosophy of ‘Kyosei’ that means living and working together for the common good, Canon first collaborated with UPPA in the year 2015 and has since been working in alliance to promote the spirit of creativity and visual arts amongst the budding talent in Uganda and East Africa. The Uganda Press Photo Award (UPPA) initially launched in 2012, began as a competition for Ugandan photojournalists and photographers who go all-out to keep the public informed of the daily news, even in dangerous and unsafe situations. Over the course of years, UPPA has evolved into a platform that not only promotes the best of today’s photojournalism in Uganda but also supports a broad program of visual literacy and education for photographers in East Africa, thus creating opportunities for people to connect, learn, and grow.
Speaking on the occasion, Anna Kućma, Director and Curator of UPPA says, “Our partnership with Canon not only strengthens our commitment towards promoting talent in the field of visual arts but also provides us with the right expertise needed to guide the talent in the right direction. For years, UPPA has strived to offer a truly supportive platform for photographers in East Africa while creating opportunities for people to connect and share their knowledge. Joining hands with an industry-leader like Canon proves that we are on the right path to cultivate change in the society. The series of activities leading up to the awards is aimed at providing students with different tools that can enhance their skill-set and professional know-how.”
Based in Uganda, UPPA will organize and host the awards in collaboration with Canon in Kampala on 30th September 2021. Canon and UPPA will run several training workshops through rest of the year for visual artists in the Ugandan community. First of the lot will be a storytelling hybrid workshop with Georgina Goodwin from August 16th to August 21, 2021, where students have the opportunity to get their hands-on high-end camera gear from Canon for in-person practice and training. This activity will be followed by the ‘Canon & UPPA universities and media house roadshow’, a virtual workshop of four days starting on September 13th, 2021. The month of October will witness webinars with prestigious industry panels. The first webinar to be held on October 23 will involve a panel discussion around the ‘five-year mentorship program’ in an effort to understand from previous mentors and mentees how the initiative has helped them in their journey. The second webinar to be held on October 26th will give students an opportunity to indulge in a thought-provoking conversation on ‘DSLR vs Mirrorless cameras’ with Canon Pro Kam John Wambugu. On October 22nd and 23rd, students will receive a chance to get their equipment checked & cleaned by registering online.
“We are always delighted to support UPPA in their noble endeavor to make photography and photographic education accessible to everyone in East Africa. Our constant effort at Canon right from the start has been to ensure we engage in giving back to the communities that we operate in, this association with UPPA began with the same vision years ago and we are proud of what it has advanced into. We are excited about the numerous activities designed for the next few months for students to partake in, as it offers them a chance to interact with industry aficionados, try and test professional equipment as well as learn tricks of the trade from the experts themselves. We wish all students the very best for their future ahead”, stated Amine Djouhara, Director of Sales and Marketing – Canon Central and North Africa.
The awards celebration ceremony will culminate into visual art workshops in the month of November 2021. The awards include Uganda Press Photo Awards, East African Photography Award, and Young Photographer Award. Each year, the winners of ‘Uganda Press Photo Award’ as well as the Young Photographer Award’ take home professional DSLR cameras, as well as the opportunity to showcase her/his work in an annual exhibition.
Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. CCNA was formed in 2015 as a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region – by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market. Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.
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