Lap of Peace

Aadhyaa Aravind Shankar, India

Aadhyaa Aravind Shankar, India

Aadhyaa is only seven years old. She was born in Bangalore, India, where she attends school. During a holiday in Australia, she was only four at the time, she desperately wanted a camera from her parents. Because the devices were too bulky for her, she got a mobile phone camera. With this, she says, she likes best to photograph happy and precious moments and celebrations and creates photo albums.

This picture shows my mother resting in the lap of her reading mother, writes Aadhyaa Aravind Shankar. Both women are framed by plants that provide freshness. From outside a cooling breeze comes in. Whether still a child or long grown up, Aadhyaa is convinced: Everyone finds peace in such moments. Finds safety and relaxation. Has an opportunity to forget all hardship. Aadhyaa took the picture in colour, but transferred it into black-and-white and cropped it to concentrate on her message. Which she expresses with a global claim: Irrespective of country borders, languages, cultures, she writes, “the children of Mother Earth” have the same needs. And they should have the same peaceful goal: to care for the earth. Peace is only possible if the earth remains healthy. (Text by Peter-Matthias Gaede)

The prize was presented by Gerhard Lahner, COO Vienna Insurance Group and Barbara Grötschnig, Head of Sponsoring Vienna Insurance Group.

Aadhyaa was clearly the star of the show. She received the prize with great aplomb, and the audience loved it! I warmly congratulate her” said Eric Falt, the Director of UNESCO New Delhi, who had presided the Jury of this year’s prize.

This is her acceptance speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InH7xexCqAQ

Discover more: Shortlist 2021, Winners 2021