LONDON - 18 June 2007 - 350 words
CAFOD
photographs feature in Press Photographer of the Year show
Photographs taken for CAFOD feature in a prestigious exhibition
to mark The Press Photographers Year 2007 awards which opens this
week at the National Theatre, London.
Richard Wainwright, 34, from Jersey, took the photographs for
the agency while in Mongbwalu in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC). They form part of 133 selected photographs to show the
very best press photographs of 2006.
Richard said: "It is a real honour
to have my work recognized but more importantly it is rewarding
to know a wider audience will become aware of the issue of ethical
gold mining because of this exhibition. As part of my work I am
used to going on foreign trips but by working with CAFOD and their
partners in the DRC I had a unique opportunity to get close to
the people affected by destructive gold mining and powerful images."
The two photographs show a child gold miner and the destruction
caused to the landscape due to gold mining. They form part of
CAFOD's Unearth Justice campaign which highlights the environmentaldestruction
and social conflict that can be generated by gold mining. In the
DRC 1,200 people die every day from conflict-related disease,
hunger and violence, where war has been fuelled by the struggle
for gold and other minerals. Gold mining companies are failing
to consult local communities about their future plans which risks
inflaming social tensions and causing further conflict.
The charity is calling on UK jewellers to put pressure on mining companies to cleaning up the industry by signing up to industry standards based on the No Dirty Gold campaign's 'Golden Rules.' These include respect for human rights and free, prior and informed consent for affected communities. So far some UK jewellers have supported the campaign following direct pressure from CAFOD.
The Press Photographer's Year exhibition
will be held in the National Theatre's Lyttelton theatre and will
start on Saturday 16th June and will run till Saturday 28 July.
150,000 people are expected to view the exhibition. Open Monday
to Saturday from 10am to 11pm, admission is free. For more information
see: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
© Independent Catholic
News 2007
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