Annual photo contest launched in honour of AFP photographer Shah Marai, killed in Kabul bomb attack

Agence France-Presse is launching an annual photography competition to honour Kabul bureau chief photographer, Shah Marai, who was killed in a suicide attack on April 30, 2018.

Throughout his career, Shah Marai showed the reality of life in Afghanistan with passion and tenderness. During 17 years of conflict, his photos captured moments of raw violence but also moments of beauty.

To the outside world, Afghanistan is defined by the images of violence and tragedy that appear regularly on international news. But behind the violence of the conflict lies another country, full of human warmth and daily toil. It was also this country that Shah Marai was constantly striving to show to the rest of the world.

That’s what inspired “My Afghanistan,” the theme of the competition. Afghan photographers living in Afghanistan or overseas are invited to submit from February 5 a series of photographs. These will reflect the reality of their people in Afghanistan or abroad, in their daily life, culture, environment, or social issues. Other angles could be used to tell the story of “their Afghanistan.”

Three prizes will be awarded in May at a ceremony in Paris. The contest also aims to support Afghan photographers.

Enter the competition at www.maraiphotoaward.com