A smash hit! This is the only accurate term for the Neptun Water Prize category "WaterPICTURE" with 3,223 photo submissions, sent in by about 1,000 Austrians as an expression of their fascination with the element water. Sepp Eisl, Provincial Councillor for Water Management and initiator of the Salzburg photo competition, is thrilled to report that over 40 percent of the pictures sent in came from the province of Salzburg.
According to Eisl, the tasks of water management do not only include the "sustainable provision of clean water in a sufficient quantity and acting according to the principle of provision, but also shaping the sense of responsibility in using this vital element" – an objective which can particularly be reached by the category WaterPICTURE.
But the focus on water is by no way over with the presentation of the prizes to the winners: the display of the photos, an internet presentation and the recently published Neptun photo catalogue will continue to work in this direction.
Eisl also paid a particular tribute to the honorary Salzburg jury – Doris Esser (newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten), Carmen Mautner Markhof (WK Salzburg), Gerhard Bluhm (Salzburger Nachrichten) and Walter Scheinast (professional photographer): their task was not an easy one.
After a total of three meetings they finally agreed on 23 nominations; three of them were selected for the first three prizes and seven others as complimentary contributions. Sepp Eisl: "I most cordially congratulate the winners, the Ladies and Gentlemen whose photos were nominated, and all the other participants. Your commitment to the Neptun WaterPICTURE enables me to see the future of our water in a very optimistic light."
The Neptun Water Prize 2001 was sponsored by: The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, the Federal Ministry of the Economy and Labour, ÖWAV and ÖVGW. Cooperation partners in Salzburg were: Reed Messe Salzburg, Salzburg AG, WasserWunderWelt Krimml and the Reinhalteverband Großraum Salzburg. (Source: aqua press Int. 03/01)
Visit the Virtual Picture Gallery of the nominated photos on the internet: http://www.land-sbg.gv.at/wasserwirtschaft/neptun.htm
The poster exhibition may be borrowed for free (pickup by the borrower).
