New York, NY—The International Photographic Council (IPC), the New York-based nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing worldwide recognition of photography as a universal means of communication, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To launch a yearlong celebration, IPC unveiled a commemorative logo earlier this year, with the tagline “Peace through Photography,” which reflects its history and core mission.
Since its founding in 1974, the nongovernmental organization of the United Nations, with an international membership representing every major photo industry sector, has supported initiatives that embrace the motto “Peace through Understanding, Understanding through Photography, the Universal Language.” From its early achievement in getting a commemorative stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service to honor photography, the IPC has driven and implemented initiatives in support of the photo-imaging industry.
Each year, James Chung, IPC president, invites professional photography organizations to nominate a photographer who best represents their group’s ideals. Honorees are recognized at an Annual Leadership Award Luncheon at the UN in “May: International Professional Photography Month.”
Other initiatives include the 2012 United Nations Photo Exhibit at photokina in Cologne, Germany. The exhibition ran throughout the convention and continues as an international traveling exhibit.
IPC also offers scholarships to outstanding photo-imaging students: the Ira Seebacher Scholarship Award for American school students who excel in the study of photography; the Kunio Yatomi Scholarship for graduate students in Japan who achieve excellence in their photo-imaging major; and the Sophie Smoliar Scholarship for outstanding European students in photographic classes.
“This year, our Annual Leadership Award Luncheon at the United Nations will be a very special occasion,” said James Chung. “In addition to celebrating the achievements of our professional photographer honorees, we will celebrate our 40th anniversary. We join our friends at PMA in celebrating their 90th anniversary, along with the 175th anniversary of photography in 2014—a year filled with key industry milestones.” ipc-un-ngo.org
