the romano cagnoni award

The Romano Cagnoni Award, international prize dedicated to photojournalism, was born in 2019 in memory of the multifaceted ability to narrate the world by the photographer Romano Cagnoni (1935-2018).

The theme of the RCA 2024 is ROOTS.

In ancient philosophy the root represents the beginning or the cause of all things. The four fundamental elements of nature are roots: earth, water, air, fire. In the modern sense the term is borrowed from botany, where it is used in reference to plants that bind to a soil by putting down roots. From the latter, every living being becomes the bearer of a different experience and culture.

Human history is characterized by situations in which the roots can be compromised: the origins of a people that risk being denied, as well as the natural resources of a territory that are threatened; but also the roots can be the confirmation of belonging to something or someone and be synonymous with identity.

Current international events require a reflection also on the root, understood as the motivation triggering short circuits such as social inequalities and environmental crises, all elements generating conflicts. At a time when the very roots of photojournalism are being challenged by new technologies, it is essential to enhance the photographic story as an authentic narrative on specific situations and events, it can illuminate circumstances and create awareness in public opinion on issues of fundamental importance.

The selected projects will be submitted to an international jury, composed of professionals and chaired by Patricia Franceschetti Cagnoni. The experts will meet in order to determine the award winner and assign special mentions.