Images of hope - Universitas 21 (2024)

Wendy He
This is taken from my driveway. It reminds me of the times during lockdown when I would feel lonely and the feeling of being able to enjoy the same sunset as others in my neighbourhood reminds me that we are all in this together, being away from each other is actually what will bring us together as a community as we fight this pandemic.

Subha Sharma
This piece of art is “Harmony with Nature”

Tsz Ying Ho
Title: A warm freezer – blue but not blue
It was taken in Jordon, Hong Kong. The fridge is a place where people could put food inside it and let the people in need collect them anytime. The moment of an elderly taking food from the fridge is captured. Although it is a blue fridge, it is sharing happiness and warmth. It shows the Lion Rock Spirit of Hongkongers which is helping each other. This enhances the inclusiveness and hence the sustainability of the city.

Simon Ambrose
This was taken in Glasgow, in April 2020, a month after lockdown had begun. I liked the clarity and straightness of the hand-written message, alongside the uneven angles of a tired, manmade world – called-out top-right – and set against the yellow of parking lines, restriction signs, a closed curtain and the need for 2m social distancing.

Michael Muir
As a surviving remnant of a long-lost wooded landscape in the Southern Uplands of Scotland, to me this lone Rowan tree symbolises resilience in the face of a changing environment and strength in isolation.

Mike McGregor
Lifeguard:
Unknowingly adrifted, in swells of a sunless sea, as rescue breaks tide.

Joeven Castro
I captured this formation of doves amid the serene water and sky. It reminded me of this: To be free from the unsettling pandemic, we must coordinate our actions, like these doves, and recognize the role of each of us. (Photo taken in Pangasinan, Philippines)

Corinne Leighton
Rainbows have traditionally been seen as images of hope, and many people in the UK displayed rainbows in their windows during lockdown. This rainbow mandala was the second quilling piece that I have made and it was a good opportunity for me to show that someone who works with data can also be creative in other ways.

Alison Talmage
We Zoomed! Like the rest of the world, we Zoomed! Learning new tech skills was a special achievement for the CeleBRation Choir participants, who are predominantly older people living with a neurological condition and communication difficulties. Zoom brought new ways of singing together and new opportunities for playful interaction. We connected with visitors from afar, but and recorded video messages for friends who couldn’t connect in this way. I didn’t play to study telehealth, but We Zoomed! Like the rest of the world, we Zoomed! Learning new tech skills was a special achievement for the CeleBRation Choir participants, who are predominantly older people living with a neurological condition and communication difficulties. Zoom brought new ways of singing together and new opportunities for playful interaction. We connected with visitors from afar, but and recorded video messages for friends who couldn’t connect in this way. I didn’t plan to study telehealth, but the losses and gains of finding new ways of working have enriched my research.

Yan Zhang
This picture is about a painting on a street of Glasgow. The artist’s name is in the picture. I want to say, although, during this special period, remember, love can conquer everything. Please do not forget your life and your love.

Sharon Clinton
This photo was taken on Burrow Beach, Sutton, Co Dublin, late afternoon, February 2021. The sign was standing strong in the sand, while the tide was out. It is a gentle reminder to all Dubliners walking the beach that we are together in this fight to beat Covid19 in the hope that normality will return to our lives in the near future.

Anna Tow
Playing Dutch Lockdown, photographed during the COVID lockdown in Sydney, was a spontaneous response to staying at home for months, and a playful take on the Dutch Still Life format and use of joyful natural colours of seasonal fruit and vegetables. The blue wall was an interior decoration project during lockdown. The Black Cockatoo feather was found on a walk in my local area.

Maurice Moore
Rendering while black is an exploration of sensorial feel/felt lines both in text and performative drawings involving 2D, 3D, 4D, and Speculative fiction(s) art practices. Moreover, the work explores how Black, Indigenous, Queer, and People of Color (BIQPOC)’s have created a means of survival through visual/performance art, creating a mode(s) of active radical resistance. These mode(s) draw upon performative traditions including call and response, improvisation, reading, throwing shade, and African- American Vernacular English (AAVE). My pieces extrapolate theories both from queer of color critique and Black foodways, synthesizing different dialects of an innovative visual/text languages.

John Brady
Dedicated to my girlfriend Helen, who is from New Zealand, this painting represents a period of painful seperation after my year abroad. In the months that I waited for her to join me again , these little orange suns helped to brighten the days.

Xiyuan Hu
I am a Ph.D student, living in Wellington. I think COVID-19 made all of us realized how precious our lives are and how important it is to stay healthy. So, I go hiking everyday. One morning while I was hiking in Mt. Victoria in Wellington, I suddenly saw the beautiful sunshine go through the clouds, while I was taking the photo at that moment, I really wanted to tell everyone: no matter how thick the clouds, the sun always comes through!

Jeremy Chung Bo Chiang
Unfurling Potential: The Jewel Orchid. Much was lost but also learnt in the past year through varied experiences. This maturing, glittering surface of a new jewel orchid leaf resembles the resilience and growth potential of us humans in the face of adversity.

Sara Gallagher
This photo was taken late summer 2020, after two weeks of solid quarantine and testing, we got multiple generations of family together to celebrate being together. Pictured are my grandmother and my daughter, counting on their hands. This simple but precious moment is lasting. A member of the Greatest Generation, who lived through the Great Depression, marched for Civil Rights with Dr. King, and traveled the world got to play with her great granddaughter again.

Chae Yoon Lee
Before Corona 19 spread, I like to visit various places with my camera. After the Pandemic, it became difficult to go to many places, so I started taking pictures inside the house. In some ways, Corona 19 is hopeless, but it also gave me a chance to have new perspective on what I’m used to.

Monthati Seanokeng Tshwagong
This image was taken in Koster, Rustenburg in the North West province of South Africa. Its an image I hold dear to my heart because it tells the story of African wealth and generational legacy as its the first cow my father bought after having a change of heart about wealth after the pandemic. The cow is on a communal farm with other cows but to me its more than just a cow but is the start of a long and powerful journey I am excited to embark on with my family.

Sarah Thomas
This craft project ran over the winter vacation 2020. Anyone within the University of Edinburgh community was invited to recreate a section of a photograph of Greyfriars Bobby in any creative way they liked. The result is a beautiful and inspiring collaboration from staff, students, alumni and families from across the University.

Li Yuan
Someone is blooming while someone else has been withered. Absolutely everyone works based on their own timezone. ‘Life is about waiting for the right moment to act.’ So don’t worry, we are very much one time even in this disaster.

Luanjiao Hu
This image of me running towards the water was taken on August 1, 2020 at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. My partner and I took a day trip to a beach nearby. Our quarantine and work-from-home started from mid march, 2020. The pandemic disrupted many of our plans. The trip to the beach was a much-needed respite. This image of me in my prosthetic leg also reminds me of my long journey in accepting my disabled identity and body of difference.

Alfonso Martínez
“Drop of Hope” was taken at the very beginning of the pandemic. It aims to remember us that protection measures, often seen as annoying limiting factors in our life, are indeed trivial and selfish worries when putting priorities in perspective. They give us the chance to be very grateful again for what really matters: life itself.

Angela Byrne
No matter what happens, the universe will always show us the right direction …

Heleana McNaught
“Spiders show us the importance of birth, growth, death, and rebirth, spinning a web of evolution and spiritual transformation. They represent the beautiful and inspiring part of creativity, but also the need to clean out the cobwebs and keep moving forward.” (Rose Putnam, 2021)

Rhonda Barry
During Covid I was redundant from my job so in the morning I would go to Clogherhead Beach, Louth, Ireland and watch the sunrise. Everyday it came back beautiful as ever. It was a sign of hope. I am now working again and am happier than ever. “Each day we are born again, what we do today is what matters most”. – Buddha

Cynthia Ketchum
‘Solidarity’ When Covid first arrived, and I began to work from home, like many others I felt isolated and frightened of what was to come. I felt cut off from my family, afraid to visit my elderly mother, and also my Son and my Daughter-in-Law and their child, my darling 1-yr-old granddaughter. As time progressed my small family discussed our situation, the struggle of working from home with a small child became apparent, and thankfully I was able to ask my supervisor if I could alter my hours to begin babysitting my granddaughter for 3 hours every morning. Our lives instantly changed for the better, and I began an incredible bonding journey with my precious granddaughter, who’s since turned 2, while I turn 60 this year. Every day I’m grateful and thankful for my special time with her, the laughter and joy she’s brought to me and the fun learning experiences I share, as well as the love I have for her. This photo embodies our relationship, besties for Life.

Alice Grinton
These galahs in various mid-flight poses, taken near Chinkapook, Australia, remind me that sometimes, simply going through the motions individually is enough to create something beautiful together.

Sabine Weber
Hope is a new beginning, an empty page. Your journey begins here.

Timothy Peacock
Symbolising the vast weight of online life in lockdown, but also how the resilience and strength of even the smallest creative voices may be amplified. Minifig Tim (my alter ego) helping to move Mr Yeti (my microphone) into position for meetings. Photographed January 2021.

Prateek Bhan
Third Prize
My ancestral village – Jai Singhpura in Sekhawati – is located in close proximity to the Thar Desert in India. This is a sight of small plant growing in the middle of the desert motivated me a lot in a recent short trip! Water supply is often irregular and disrupted too – yet the resilience of the sapling is noteworthy.

Lucilla Crespi
Resilience – /rɪˈzɪlɪəns/, the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
A kid chasing seagulls alone on the desert beach of Portobello (Edinburgh) reminds the world that, even after the dark period of the pandemic, that recovery, both psychological and physical, awaits us ahead in brighter times. That life can still go on, and always flows strong and resilient within ourselves.

Ciaran Ramsay
This was a picture I took of my grandma in the summer after lockdowns were eased and we were allowed to visit her. We hadn’t seen each other in many months as she’d been shielding and shortly after this was taken she moved to a care home where she hasn’t been allowed to leave or mix with family members since. This brief moment of happiness and her smile at being able to see me and my mum after so long reminds me what we’ve been protecting and why it’s worth it, makes me hopeful for the good times ahead and shows the resilience of family’s and the ones who’ve been the most isolated during this pandemic.

Lorna Hayden
COVID-19 has paused life for many people, but the world of nature continues. Seasons change, flowers bloom, wildlife thrives. Although devastation and uncertainty are rife, I find hope in the resilience of nature, going through its normal ebbs and flows. Not everything has changed, and life will once again, return to normal.

Fernanda Nunes

Ambika Mann
This picture was taken when level 4 restrictions were finally raised in Glasgow, and four people were allowed to meet in the outdoors. This picture represents hope and resilience for a better tomorrow.

Prajjwal Akash
This picture is of a street sikh men wearing a turban and reading a newspaper and representing a community of Sikh religion in India . I asked to sikh men what their turban actually meant for them , they replied :- My sikhi is rest in my turban , If I am not wearing a turban , I am not wearing my pride .

Natanya Meyer
I was inspired to paint this picture as a beacon of hope. It was painted during the hard lockdown in March/April 2020. The Coronavirus is graphically shown as a crown with its devastating spikes and this inspired my crown of hope (flowers) on my angel. It reflects the positive and not the negative and that we should always be hopeful and believe even during difficult times.

Nana Iwami
Resilience: Little things that made me happy during the COVID-19 pandemic
a glimpse of my artwork. something . This is as similar to the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic as most of the people were looking at bad side of lockdown. Only their were very few people who looked at positive side and insipte of being depressed, they look towards their health, family and approaching towards new things.

Parinita Batra
The image is of a painting created by me. It tries to exemplify the different roles and responsibilities undertaken by a couple in a household during the pandemic. The idea was to capture the symbol of an umbrella wherein each person protects his own sense of self, while shielding the other companion.

Yongchen Deng
People are walking towards the sunshine after the first snow in Glasgow.
All human wisdom is summed up in these two words
“Wait and Hope”
– Alexandre Dumas –

Huiyu Ye
Location: In front of the window of my room
title: A Little pleasure of my life
Instruction: More time to enjoy the sky after the Covid-19 Pandemic. ‘ little pleasures of life’ is a buzzword in China in recent years, which means a small, ordinary but genuine happiness. Appreciating the sky every day is my ‘little pleasure of life’, and I hope everyone can find your ‘little pleasure of life’ too!

Charlotte White
This image was taken at Kanjobe Junior School, Uganda. This photo represents the epitome of community to me as all the children of the school joined together in their beautiful local dance.

Sunha Ahn
I created this ocean image by PPT and I thought that our hope is connected to each other like nature’s life. Our individual creativity makes our community alive, and thereby it can be a source of our solidarity, and it will help prosper our resilience in the end. Therefore, your survival can be part of me, you, and us.

Jingyu Wu
This painting I created pertained to the final project of my undergraduate subject: Painting Techniques (FINA20026). The purpose of the project was to appropriate two works of art from the National Gallery of Victoria to explore a new set of meanings. I chose to appropriate “Sunflowers” by Adam Pyett on “Study from the human body” by Francis Bacon. I was thinking about what has happened and what has not yet. In this era, religion saves us from fear, toxic smoke/virus spread over the world, moral values look down upon us, rumours flourish with no need of truths, corporates keep on exploiting employees, endless wars, protests, inequalities… I just got tired, exhausted. I believe I am not the only one here. Our hearts inside are dying, but nobody cares. We all struggle to live a life. I don’t know if there will be some sunshine. But I am alive, there must be.

Ramon uwanban
Outside the window during online zoom lecture. Literally made my day 🙂

Meiyan Zheng
I believe that the dawn of victory will soon be ushered in, I believe that the darkness(COVID-19) will eventually recede.

Dolores Resano
Taney, Leinster, Ireland.

Nicola Santarossa
At the beginning of lockdown, I was struggling with a relationship breakdown. I was desperate for a new creative outlet, so I stumbled across dot painting. I found it particularly meditative and would spend hours on end painting, alone. As a result, and with the natural progression of time, I learned to enjoy solidarity again.

Yulia Khimich
There are many street signs in New Zealand, which keep surprising me. Look, what I came across while cycling in Queenstown this month. This sign shows that it is not what you see, but how you see it that matters! Such a positive spin even in a simple message. I hope we all see more positive messages this year and “watch for dogs”.

Emma Robertson
The Wollemi pine tree was thought to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 1994 and has since been planted in botanic gardens across the world. The original trees survived the recent bushfires and are a symbol of hope in the face of adversity. My drawing shows the branches framed in ovals representing a cherished memory.

Stephanie Tjasa Subandi
People try to find extra income during the pandemic. This figure represents a local restaurant portfolio created by siniguefotoin (“Let me help you take the picture” for English translation). Siniguefotoin was a movement formed by local photographers and photo editors that assist newly established business for free. The movement lasted for 3 months.

Brendan Walsh
This is Elmo. He was born in June 2020 (He’s a Covid-19 puppy). He keeps me busy; I don’t get much done with the constant smile he puts on my face. He’s the friendliest, most playful dog in the world, and he makes everyone laugh and smile within seconds of seeing him.

Damien Walmsley
Teddy Bear views the sunrise and wonders how long the lockdown is going to continue. He hopes it will not be much longer as he is missing his friends.

Dakshita Bishnoi
Community is defined as a social unit of people with the shared sense of common history, identity, social norms, values, territory etc. but humanity, the sheer feelings of compassion and kindness and sympathy for others make a true community. Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown made it all the more apparent. Much was lost, many left in desperation, poverty, hunger-without their basic needs of livelihood, shelter, healthcare, education. It was the sense of community, collective efforts to fight coronavirus and the social evils getting powerful in wake of it that became a refuge for so many. Community kitchens, Anganwadi centres, animal and bird shelters and many such community organisations carry the essence of true community. With their solidarity, support, guidance, ‘social vaccine’, will to adapt and their resilience they went, are still going, adapting and growing through the pandemic lifting themselves and others; inventing creative methods, being reborn in the new normal providing inspiration for collective discourse and action in times of crisis.

Dzunisani Sithole
In as much as the pandemic has affected all of us a girl such experiences a lifetime pandemic. With many people being retrenched and those who were feeding from the mouth not being able to afford basic needs such as food, sanitary towels and toiletries were a reach. In light of this my friends and I went to a school in the villages to share toiletries to girls in matric class. We donated , exchanged numbers with those with phones and had a session to discuss how life as a girl has been. All the girls were cheerful, their faces light up with unbridled joy as they each received a gift bag which had roll on, sanitary towels, body lotion, tooth brush and paste; one could tell it hasn’t been an easy road. We left them with motivational words of encouragement and promised we would have such a session again. Inspired by Acts 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive”

Annika Amber
Solidarity – The image is a juxtaposition of two pictures taken during lockdown in the month of May. This was the onset of peak COVID-19 cases all over the world. As a student, I was stuck in the university campus with lockdown, away from my family and friends. This image tries to show how we fall back on to each others in times of uncertainty. The trust we create root us into our communities allowing us a sense of balance to spread out far and deep. The said community could be the literal roots of a tree, looking at which would put me in a meditative state of stability. This is an ode to the women in my life, who, unseen, have always supported each other.

Jasmine Sandhar
When the pandemic hit, I was on my study year abroad. I couldn’t get a flight home at first, so my friend invited me to stay with her in LA. On the day we arrived, we went to Sunset Beach and watched the sun slowly sink behind the skyline of skyscrapers in the distance. It was a moment of hope in a world of darkness. We went back every day after.

Lara Williams
Taken in Leamington Spa, the blankets of daffodils are a bright sign of hope. They remind of how resilient nature is, and how we too have been resilient this past year making it to another Spring. In masses together they bring a sense of community.

Alina Schütz
Letters | Words | Books – always there for us

Darpan Pahuja
This image is close to my heart as it show how a person can still bloom even in there worst condition. I have drawn this image in the time of lockdown . It shows how beautiful a person is in his or her way.

Isabella Solar
This photo was taken in 2019 in Cuzco, Peru. For me it represents cultural identity and companionship. When I remember seeing this performance I feel hopeful about the future.

Jomanda Nataraja
This picture was taken in Valetta, Malta in Jan 2020. Every step you take in this world, I hope you will find peace in where you belong. It is normal to stop for breaks and views every so often before continuing the journey.

Nicky Dachs
This is an acrylic painting which speaks to me of the resilience we’ve seen in nature in the past year. There were so many stories of animals returning to places once all the people were in lockdown. It also speaks of the resilience and community of New Zealand by featuring the Covid 19 Tracer QR code sign which is present at the entrance of all shops and public spaces, and has helped fight the spread of the virus in our country.

Julian Cheung
Members of the public picking out face masks for purchase from a road-side stall in the current pandemic situation.

Jingjing Ge
When your life is a mess, you may ask, “What are my purposes here, and how may I end the confusion and chaos…” But the truth is you may be closer to the answers than you think, even while in the darkest moments. Don’t worry about things that you cannot control. Just have firm faith that your life is a miracle and you’re braver than you think. That’s shining your light.

Khushi Khandelwal
I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light

Isabella Solar
This photo was taken 2 years ago in Cuzco, Perú. For me it represents unity and pride because of the joy the performers from this traditional peruvian festival share. When I remember this idea, I feel hopeful about the future, I think things can get better if we stay together

Taniya

Po-en Hsueh
This picture was taken back in Taiwan with my parents in them. The reason why I chose this photo is that the moment I saw this picture, the first thing that crossed my mind is the word “hope”. We have been fighting this pandemic for so long now that sometimes it gives me a sense of it is never going to end and we should just accept that this is a new norm now. When I saw this photo, however, it reminded me how hard it was to climb to the top of the mountain at that time just like where we are now fighting COVID. I still remember complaining about how tiring the climbing was to my parents on the way up and my dad had to keep assuring me that we were nearly there and that I will not regret all the hard work I put in for not quitting. The truth was, he was right. The view up there was absolutely stunning and I was so glad I didn’t give up! COVID will end someday, we might not know when, but there is always hope, we just need to remind ourselves that as long as we are together, we will come out stronger than ever.

Park Suyeon
Oyako tree in Hokkaido, Japan
I saw hope when I saw two trees that stood firm even in the middle of winter. I would like to share with U21 members around the world the hope I felt while looking at the patience and firm will of the tree.

Ariana Bravo
At the beginning of the pandemic (since March 16) in Ecuador the schools were closed and students in vulnerable conditions (socio-economic or physical) were struggling to attend online classes. But as complementary activities, some of them received seeds to plant fruits and vegetables at their homes jointly with their family. In order to teach them about sustainable agriculture and food security related to the SDGs of the Agenda 2030. If the seeds grew properly they received (for free a school kit, a surprise bag (with candles because of the international day of children), and some bags with food to feed the family).

Elysha Ramage
This is a mural I painted during lockdown, Winter 2020. For me, it represents resilience and hope. Watching the strength and beauty of trees as they bow to the wind, rain, and storms and yet the storms pass, winter ends and spring arrives with new life and new hope.

Linda D’Mello
A member of our women’s bible study group came out with this beautiful thought of painting on stones during the lockdown with her two little boys and have them displayed on the pavement near her home for passer-by to pick and take…we then met up one day and painted a whole lot of these stones which was such fun and a beautiful bonding experience for us all, had food to share and scattered these stones around to tell people there is Hope and Love still around.

Joanna Avi-Lorie
This self-portrait was created and shared to connect to every other person who was feeling overwhelmed with the social media toxic culture of productivity and creativity boosting at the start of a period of collective trauma and fear that devalued the mental health crisis we were about to experience.

Junhyoung Lee
The photo was taken during a lockdown on the beach in Dublin, Ireland. The 5km movement limit makes me feel stuffy, but when I saw the scene where the friends walk calmly together, I found ‘solidarity’ and a ‘community’ that will withstand the difficulties of COVID.

Joseph Little
I took this image on black and white film at the first Birmingham Black Lives Matter protest in the summer of 2020. The man pictured stood up in front of thousands and addressed the crowd, and I was lucky enough to be right next to him when he did. The wider importance of the BLM movement goes without saying, but for me personally, this exact moment gave me more hope than anything since the onset of COVID-19. I had become increasingly disillusioned with wider society in Britain, but seeing this man stand up and speak with such strength, pride and power absolutely blew me, and everyone present, away. The defiance in his eyes and the megaphone in his hands have become a sort of personal inspiration for me when I have been struggling since with how the world seems to be going. Resilience, community and solidarity are all evident in this photo, but above all, I think it represents hope. If I was to win a financial prize from this competition, I would like to give it to a relevant and appropriate charity instead.

kim byeongman
This is a picture of cherry blossoms in Korea in 2020. At that time, I didn’t know that Corona would last more than a year, and I only wore a mask hard. But I had a hard time for a year and spring came again. Still wearing a mask and not meeting people well, but now there is hope. Soon I will see this year’s cherry blossoms and hope to be given more days to recover. The day is coming when the flowers bloom.

Jackie Hollowell
I have been working from home for most of the last 12 months. To maintain my mental health and a routine I took to walking my dog along the riverside early every morning. I started taking photos of the sunrises, wildlife and birds and posted them on FaceBook throughout the year. This has not only been beneficial to my mental health but my images have brought pleasure to many of my ‘friends’ around the World too. I have thousands of images from the last 12 months but this is one of my favourites. Swan preening.

Haibei Wang
This photo was taken by me at the Shanghai International Marathon in November 2020. I was a volunteer at that time, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the volunteers had to wear masks and face shields. The photo is what I looked like at the time. I thought no one would want to run a marathon during the epidemic, but on the day of the race, there were 9,000 people, both young and old, participated. Not for honor, not for reward, perhaps just for happiness or fun, everyone struggles to run toward the direction of the rising sun, toward the future. This ordinary happiness and courage is already proof of our victory over the COVID-19.

Genna Ng
“There was really bad weather/rain in Rotorua and we had to cancel our propeller plane flight over the volcanoes in Tongariro National Park (huge bummer) – but because of the rain we got to see 5 humongoussss rainbows in Rotorua!!! All in one day!!! This is a picture I snapped on the road and it’s so coincidental that the rainbows all appeared literally on the first day of pride month. It’s so amazing to see how far we’ve come as a community in terms of being open to acceptance and embracing diversity. Pride month is so much more than the LGBTQ+ community. It is about taking steps together that will bring us closer to a world where we can exercise freedom of choice, without judgement, prejudice, oppression and injustice. To anyone who’s shown the slightest gesture of acceptance towards the LGBTQ+ community regardless of your faith or sexual orientation, thank you for contributing in bringing us closer to that world. To my LGBTQ+ friends, brothers and sisters, thank you for being strong, and confidently proud of your identity, because you are a living example of the progress you have made to step out of the shadows of marginalization. We still have a long way to go, but we’re getting there. Happy Pride Month ??”

Yenci Orellana
I am a creative person, and during the pandemic I took advantage of it. As many entrepreneurs were growing, I didn’t want to get left behind. So I come up with a plan to make my treat/desserts business grow (@sweetjellydesserts). I was able to succeed and now I have stable income coming from my small business, why is this photo so important? well this was my very first order from a client from another part of the world (Canada), she ordered for a friend who live near by. This meant so much for me because she was delighted with my work and photos so she trusted me from miles away. My small business means a lot because I have been able to donate treats to hospitals as thank you for their hard work, make profit and donate it to El Salvador when they were going through a Hurricane. Donate food to homeless. While Covid was hard to adapt, I decided to make the best of it.

Lara Rubin
What gives us hope in these times is being connected with researchers all over the world, sharing the same goal of promoting wildlife conservation and biodiversity, and raising awareness about anthropogenic climate change. Learn more about the video installation “Triggered by Motion” here: https://bit.ly/38WQPuq.

Helen Tanner
Scarlet summer rose Resilient in snow Inspires a haiku

Grace Harre
The lockdown part of covid-19 experience was an extremely difficult time. It involved waking up in the afternoon everyday and staying awake all night, never leaving the house. It included trying to cross into the NSW border during a stage 4 lockdown for my fathers funeral, fighting the Government to let me go. Amidst all of this I found community within the walls of my home. My housemate, my newly found partner and I would picnic in the front yard and create short films together, we all shared breakfast together at 4pm. I expanded on my love for Make-up Artistry and became many new characters. This photograph, taken in March 2021, represents the other end of this journey and new beginnings for us all. Taken outdoors, with the subject bright and glowing, I encapsulate my appreciation for all the memories behind closed doors, for it taught me patience and brought me resilience, and gave me time to learn to be truly open and comfortable with myself. I am now flourishing and full of hope in this open world I once took for granted.

Simran Yadav
The name of my artwork is “FLY”. In admist of situation like covid 19 where the world is struggling. I tried to create a bright colorful painting which radiates hope, positivity and joy. The artwork is a mandala art. The butterfly in the painting gives vibrant energy to dream. The two colors blue and yellow depicts day (happiness) and night (sorrow), the butterfly between these two colors indicates that despite whatever the situation may be I (butterfly) will fly high. The flower besides the butterfly signifies that one day spring will come. This artwork is close to my heart as it gives strength to me in most depressing situations. It tells me to dream as dream makes a person alive. It tells me that i can do anything. So, i hope it will give the same energy to those who are seeing it.

Anisha Palat
The image speaks of warmth and home: the light embraces not only the objects in the room but also the viewer. This light of dawn makes its way slowly into the house, expressing solidarity and giving courage to those in its path. Ultimately, the image speaks to a certain resilience that comes through the warmth of sunshine as a start to a promising day.

Mradubhashini Jain
Tired eyes, with questions so deep A little girl, so many responsibilities to keep Sitting on the roadside, waiting for something Like a poor bird with a broken wing I asked her if I could help in any way She said, “For us, just pray” “Pray for my family to get food tonight” “Pray for the sun to shine bright” “Pray for it to rain as well” “Pray for good harvest which we can sell” “Pray that I can go back to school” “Pray for these times to pass, they’re cruel” I quickly searched in my bag for some food Found my lunch with three chapati and one half chewed I gave it to her saying, “We’ll make through this slippery slope” She said, “Thank you, you gave me hope.”

Fiona Macpherson
This selfie was taken on one of the first times I wore a mask due to Covid. It was July in Glasgow but cold, and very wet and windy! I was standing outside the vet’s waiting as my dog was examined inside. I took this selfie to pass the time and take my mind off worrying about the dog.

Anca Barcu
This is the last photo my sister took for me, before she unexpectedly passed away from COVID. To me, it’s a depiction of all the beautiful people that have fallen to this terrible virus. It’s also a celebration of Spring, her birth season, of nature blooming and giving us hope while also cherishing the wonderful memories of loved ones that we lost.

Eleanor Munro
Positivity as social rebellion – a moribund statement on a dark and shuttered high street in Birmingham, England.

Stanzin Chosdol
This is a photo very close to my heart and a rays of hope during lockdown,watching my mom chanting mantras in the monasteries of ladakh.

Anushka Krishna
The scenarios arising from Covid-19 have created interesting opportunities to explore creativity. Whether it’s cooking meals, trying different styles of coffee or simply hoping on to the trends. There’s no playbook for creativity. But what we are doing now is writing the new rules of engagement while in the middle of action. And that’s exhilarating. This image was captured in one of my Aerial Yoga classes, where in my teacher helped me attain the pose. It speaks to me because I am able to see that with everything that we are struggling with, it is important to be aware and balanced and put our peace and mental well-being as our priority.

Jiawei Zheng
It was been taken in Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh by my drone. Due to the Covid restrictions, we cannot meet others both inside and outside. But we must need to go outside for exercise and explore beautiful scene for relaxing. So, I bought a drone to shoot the beautiful scene for taking off my mind from pressure and panic. This picture means I love the nature and full of hope to my future.

Cristina Escribano-Gonzalez
These past 12 months have been challenging in so many ways, but the resilience within ourselves and others has managed to push us through, as the trees push through Winter, to come out beautiful and blooming in Spring. This is a fresh start, a new beginning.

Julian Cheung
An aged street artist laying down a beautiful artwork on a paper canvas in public, painting down the street and sights around him.

Nadiah Zaidil
This picture was taken at Mt Victoria, New Zealand, after a 3 month lockdown. People were excited to meet up face to face and enjoy the outside world safely again.

Siddharth Anand
Hope is being able to see the light despite the darkness. This photo represents the quarantine and isolation during the covid19 lockdown period and show’s the hopeful hand reaching out to grab something to hold onto , come out of the darkness and live life to the fullest. This is a self portrait.

Jarrod Facer
After a tumultuous year, my image of a staircase, put simply, is a reminder that there is always a path forward.

Jiaying Chen
Even the tiniest light can bring you warmth and hope in the darkness, just like the pre-dawn light.

Carlene Newall de Jesus
Lifting Us Up reflects our at-home communities that supported us during Covid-19 lockdowns. It is not only the humans in our small bubbles that offer hope, resilience and solidarity, but also our four-legged family members that lift us up when we need it the most.

Lauren Black
This colourful message drawn on a rubbish bin by a young person was seen on a walk through my local park in Epsom, Auckland

Mark Richardson
With great surprise, I came across this little sculpture while out for a walk during a national travel restriction of two kilometres from home during the first Covid lockdown in Ireland. It was a period when the neighbourhood seemed deserted. How wonderful then to see this inspiring message from someone in the community and to appreciate creativity in artwork during a period when media messages were overwhelmingly negative. Photographed in County Wexford, Ireland.

Chloe Cassidy
The image on the left is of a burnt remnant from the 2019/2020 Australian bushfires that drifted ashore in the storms and floods on the central coast toward the end of Black Summer. The image on the right is the same piece, ‘healed’ through my trauma-informed and somaesthetic designer-maker practices. The burl that has been reformed was the first example of ‘resilience’ that I have drawn upon as a symbol of natures’ resilience to trauma. A symbol of hope for us too. For more, see https://youtu.be/VxJo8K4SpY0

Kelcey Roberts
Even in the early morning rain, the light shines through.

Pariksit Mishra
I might have crossed this bridge in Kelvingrove a thousand times but one sunny day in Glasgow, I managed to stop and stare at this view. The steels of sunlight shining through the trees, the snow melting on the ground and the birds chattering. The scene was calming, as if it was telling me that everything would be fine, pacifying me to the point of joy and inspiration. There are so many spots all over Glasgow that imbue such inspiration and hope. I am just glad that I got to capture one of them and share it with so many others.

Julie Elaine McAdam
This is mum who lives alone in the Scottish Highlands. I got to visit her just before Christmas in 2020. One night the power failed, so we lit candles, got out the art box and made Christmas cards. The picture sums up my mum, she lives purposefully with her vascular dementia, demonstrating resilience, creativity and hope.

Sofia Costa Eriksson
This was taken at my local park in Malmö, Sweden. I identified with this lonely Eurasian coot. Its flock is not too far away but the mist prevents us from seeing them. In reality, they’re close by, even if obscured.

Sukanya bORA
Rahul’s (The guy in White) native place, Vrindavan, had no visitors after the onset of Pandemic. Old and needy ones were suffering the most. February 2020, Rahul started donation campaign over facebook, hired an e-rickshaw and since then, he has been distributing food to the poors in streets. The service is being done everyday, till today, without fail.

Chenyang Guo
The sudden pandemic made people feel sad, lonely, as if surrounded by darkness, but hope was always there.

Ruth Christie

Pavan Kumar
This picture is taken at Janki Devi Memorial College DU. This reminds me of a community which we are as s College. This reminds me of all of my students that one day they will come to the classrooms and I would teach them., That one day we shall overcome this pandemic and students would again be enjoying their life in a free environment, in a physical environment not online classes. This gives me hope and a sense of community with my college and students.

Qingyi Zhu
I am a Chinese student studying in the Master of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland. This year is my first year of enrollment. Because of the epidemic, I cannot go to New Zealand and can only study online. The epidemic has brought us a lot of impact. This photo It was taken by me in the center of Nanchang, Jiangxi. When the epidemic was severe, the bustling city center felt like I was the only one walking on the street, and the pedestrians who came and went before the river were also not seen, which made people feel very lonely.

Tanjot Grewal
I saw this heart shaped cloud while taking a reflective stroll near my local park. My family and I had lost our dog Biggie after a surgery and this cloud reminded me his love was near. I felt mother nature standing in solidarity with me and planting a seed of resilience in me. I am grateful for this moment and wanted to share it with you.

Lianne Wu
Child and Spring

Joseph Tully
This image represents the idea that through resilience, beauty and perspective can be distilled from suffering. The vista extends across a desolate moor, representing the previously trodden path of difficulty and suffering. However, the summit from which the photo is taken reveals how what was previously ones source of difficulty, can contribute to a perspective richer in both breadth and beauty.

Frank Ilan-Aisin Xin Zhang
I took this photo in my hometown in the early spring of 2016. I named this photo as Seasons of the Heart because it delivers a connection and kinship among family member. In this photo, the grandfather and his grandson were enjoying their time in front of branches which would sprout soon. I know it was a tough year last year, fortunately, no matter how hard life was, we still have got families to rely on. I hope this photo will offer you a sort of warmness, even though life is sometimes no as the way we expected.

Siwon Choe
A boy I met during my trip to a local market in Lome, Togo. He was wearing the kind of smile I would never want to forget.

Elena Deamant
This dog, known as Greyfriars Bobby, though small in stature, is outsized in his reputation here in Edinburgh, Scotland. Even in the struggles of the pandemic, someone has taken the time to lovingly craft a wee vest and mask for Bobby – brightening the days of all who walk past.

Florence Wu
2021 Coromandel – ‘grounded, at the top of the world.’

Carol Mutch
The indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand have a proverb: Whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te whenua: People might fade from view but the land remains. I took this photo of Aoraki/Mt Cook between lockdowns.

Amelia Prichard
My brother inspects his sensory washing line. Joe has autism. The pandemic presents new challenges for young people with special needs. Being creative in the garden, Joe has adapted to the sudden disruptions in his routine. We are all immensely proud of him.

Sofia Gutierrez
This picture was taken on Woman day for the 8th of March, 2020. This day over 1 million women attended to the march only in Santiago de Chile but millions more went out to the streets to demand change all over the world. After a week ago or so a pandemic hit the country and thousands if not millions of womans had to get locked at home with their abusers or overcome unbalanced duties at home. This image brings me hope and reminds me of the everyday challenges us womans have to deal with by living in this world. Having got the chance to attended the march that day made me feel so empowered as a woman as I never felt before and made me have the courage to face year 2020 better than I could have imagened.

Sini Karesma
The pandemic and lockdown has made me appreciate being able to walk around the city of Glasgow, and made me see how things you might just walk past on a normal day become so much more significant. This applies to the murals scattered around Glasgow, that I went to seek one day. I noticed how I had walked past some of them previously, yet not actually paid attention to them and appreciated the art as I should have.

Bonnie Shea
Seeing the sunrise over the sunflower fields by my home in Northern California was a much appreciated moment of peace and beauty during a time of crisis.

Shamil Khairov
First Prize
December was the darkest month of 2020, but on that particular day the sunbeams for the first ime made their way through the fog and life immediately became brighter. These were rays of hope.

Amber Williams
Titled “Angel of the North (Wales)”, this image was taken on the North Wales Coast in December, when I was finally able to visit home in-between the COVID-19 lockdowns. It shows my mum excited with her arms open and, for me, this represents the feelings of freedom, optimism and comfort that I felt at the time.

Shalhavit-Simcha Cohen
“You Are Enough”

Tsz Ching Emily Choi
Shot in March 2020 at Montreal Airport at my departure following an abrupt end to an awaited exchange semester. Sunset sets a boundary between light & dark, mirroring the state of humanity traversing into a pandemic space; however, its in-betweenness promises renewal. The lone traveller sighted my camera and connected with my solitude.

Shantel Lewis
The image was intended as a graphical abstract of South African Gauteng diagnostic radiographers’ experiences of COVID-19. The stick figure represents the radiographer free of any gender or race bias wearing a superhero cape. The cape has the ionising radiation science referencing the diagnostic radiographer. The diagnostic radiographer is pushing up a huge boulder of a myriad of emotions and experiences. Yet central to all of the emotions is the shouting out that even though I am thought of as a super hero I am only human. The incline of the slope indicates at the time of data collection South Africa was still to reach it’s first peak. The simplicity of the drawing enhances the raw emotions shared by the participants when COVID-19 infections were on an upward trajectory in SA. The research was conducted by S.Lewis and F. Mulla.The artwork was commissioned from Maxine Maistry who together with the researchers conceptualized the image.

Iman Khan
Joint Second and People’s Choice Award
This photo was taken on an evening walk at the entrance to a tunnel that was going to be demolished. As a local of the area every little change made has an impact. That’s to say how big a change and impact covid has had over the entire world. The light at the end suggests hope in everything, as it all comes to pass.