MECI Wins Lucie Award for ‘Young Eyes from Palestine’ Photography Project
We are so proud to share that our ‘Young Eyes from Palestine’ photography project has been awarded the Lucie Award, one of the most prestigious international photography recognitions. This award shines a light on the incredible talent and resilience of our young Palestinian students.
At a time when their voices are often unheard, these young photographers bravely captured their everyday lives, hopes, and challenges, showing the world what it means to grow up in Palestine. Through the ‘Young Eyes from Palestine’ project, they developed practical photography skills and found a safe space to process their experiences, reclaim their narratives, and confidently share their stories with the world.
This project was made possible thanks to the vision and dedication of our partners:
Gregory Maillot, photographer and developer of the project curriculum
Natalia Signoroni, who conceptualized the project through Time-in-Tempo.Art and exhibited it in Geneva
The selection of the students’ photographs was carefully curated by a diverse team of experts and friends of MECI to ensure the final collection honored the students' unique voices and perspectives.
When accepting the award, MECI Board Member Lorraine Grace beautifully shared:
"This award will mean so much to our young Palestinian photography students and our team in the West Bank, especially in these most challenging times as they suffer through war. With visions of Palestine so often dominated by violence, the photos taken by children in the MECI Photography Project tell a fuller story, of natural beauty, beloved traditions, and ancient histories, shaped by life under occupation but not defined by it.
Learning photography empowers our students to tell their stories in a universal language, to connect with distant people, and to promote peace.”
At MECI, we remain committed to providing safe spaces where children and youth can learn, heal, and lead. This award goes to our students, it is their story, their vision, and their voice that captured the world’s attention.