MOSCOW, October 5. /TASS/. The submission of applications for participating in the international contest News Photo Awards. Overcoming Covid kicked off on October 5. The contest is devoted to the coronavirus pandemic that broke out in 2020 and aims to laud the significance of the work of photojournalists who demonstrated professional heroism during the COVID-19 outbreak.  

It was Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's idea to hold the photo contest. He discussed the initiative in April during an exclusive interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman.  

Joining the contest is free of charge and any photographer working for or collaborating with the media can take part in it. The submission of applications will last until December 1, 2020.  The jury will select the best snapshots and determine the winners —they will be announced on March 11, 2021 —the anniversary of the announcement of the coronavirus pandemic by the World Health Organization. 

There are two nominations under the following categories: one for "Single Photo" and the other for "Picture Series". The winners in each category will get a monetary award of $3,000. The jury will also select the best snapshot out of all those submitted, and that one will be awarded the "Grand Prize". The one who took this winning picture will receive $10,000.  

"Overcoming COVID in 2020 has become a challenge for millions of people all across the globe. It has also become a professional challenge for photographers. Deep in hospital ‘red zones’and on deserted city streets, photojournalists have been striving to capture the most vital moments of the global fight against coronavirus. Their work is as essential as that of other professionals, who have had to battle a pandemic of this proportion, so I do hope that our competition will once again highlight the importance of the work of photojournalists. Therefore, I urge our media colleagues from around the world to join the contest and send in their employees’best works. The world should know its heroes," said TASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov.

You can learn more about the terms and conditions to enter the competition and the rules of the News Photo Awards. Overcoming Covid here.