Ambassador Gross today announced the winners of the American Embassy’s first Facebook photo contest at the American Corner Dushanbe. The theme of the contest was “Connecting Girls, Inspiring the Future,” in honor of International Women’s Day and National Women’s Month. The contest was co-sponsored by the Serena Hotel and supported by Somon Air.

Throughout March, participants submitted photos showing the empowerment of Tajik girls. More than 70 people participated, submitting over 100 photos. The panel of judges from the U.S. Embassy and Serena Hotel selected four winning pictures.

The three runner-ups were: Fayziddin Niyozov for “Educated Girls – Guarantee for a Developed Society,” Mekhrangez Bakhromi for her photo “The love of nature starts from childhood,” and Vera Karnaukhova for “Our country in our hands.”

The grand prize winner was Erkin Latypov with his photo entitled “A Single Impulse, One Objective!” Mr. Latypov’s photograph captured the energy of Tajik girls playing soccer, highlighting their enormous potential to contribute to a prosperous future in Tajikistan.

Mr. Latypov won the grand prize of brunch for four at the Serena Hotel and his photograph will be featured in Somon Air’s In Flight Magazine in the coming months.

The top entries from the contest will be on display at the American Corner Dushanbe this week. The American Corner Dushanbe is now located on the fourth floor of the new National Library.

http://dushanbe.usembassy.gov/