Author: Olesia Lukaniuk

We have reached a monumental milestone for Wiki Loves Earth International!

• Over 1,000,000 images have now been contributed to Wiki Loves Earth International over the past 13 years!

From breathtaking landscapes to charming macro shots, from the hidden corners of our planet to urgent environmental issues and stunning videos — a powerful testament to the global love for nature and free knowledge.

The most fruitful year in terms of uploads over the contest’s history was 2017, with almost 130,000 submitted images!

A huge thank you to every participant, volunteer, and organizer who contributed to capturing the planet’s diversity and sharing it with the world.

Let’s keep growing a global bank of freely-licensed images of our nature worldwide!

We’re excited to share the latest update from this year’s international competition:

• 44,618 images submitted

• 3,089 uploaders

• 58 countries on the participants list!

So far, 32 countries are actively running their local competitions, and we have already received the first local winning photos from Benin!

We are waiting for more stunning entries that showcase breathtaking nature, talented photographers, and unique protected areas.

Huge thanks to everyone contributing to documenting the natural heritage of our planet through free knowledge and open licenses!

Stay tuned for more!

Every June 15, the world celebrates the power of photography to connect us with nature and inspire us to protect it. From majestic landscapes to the smallest creatures, nature photography brings beauty, awareness, and urgency to global conservation efforts.

At Wiki Loves Earth, we believe in the open sharing of this beauty. Every photo submitted to our contest helps build free knowledge about protected natural areas around the world — and shows the stunning diversity of life on Earth.

Today, take a moment to explore nature through your lens or through the incredible photos shared by our community.

For 2025, we have already received more than 25 thousand images!

56 countries are ready to go for this year’s competition!

With almost 11,000 images already submitted from 16 countries, the momentum is building — and there’s still time for you to get involved!

Want to host a local competition in your country?
Check out who’s already on board and see how you can join: https://w.wiki/Cwd9

Want to participate and upload?
Check your country in the list and follow the rules: https://w.wiki/CwdB

Let’s make this year the biggest yet!

The international photo contest Wiki Loves Earth is off to a great start! So far, 37 countries have joined the competition, with 9 countries already underway, and 5 more set to launch this week.

We’ve already received almost 6,000 stunning photos from 175 participants capturing the natural beauty of protected areas around the world!

This is just the beginning — there’s still time to join!

Contribute to documenting nature and raising awareness by uploading your photos or helping organize in your country.

Contact wle-team@wikimedia.org.ua for any further questions.

Today marks the start of Wiki Loves Earth 2025, the international photo competition devoted to the natural heritage of our planet!

9 countries celebrate the beginning of the competition today: Azerbaijan, Benin, Czech Republic, Germany, Ghana, Malta, Nepal, Sweden, United Arab Emirates.

And we even have the first 145 uploads!

3 more countries will start the contest also very soon in May: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Serbia.

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just love nature, this is your chance to make an impact by sharing images of protected landscapes and biodiversity from your country.

Check the actual contest dates of your country on the list: https://w.wiki/Cwd9

How to participate:

• Capture stunning photos of natural heritage sites.
• Check the criteria and upload them to Wikimedia Commons under a free license.
• Contribute to open knowledge and help raise awareness of nature conservation.

Start uploading now, because every photo helps build a free and accessible archive of our planet’s beauty!

Files used in the video: Marko Dekic, Matviyiv Liubomyr, CC BY-SA 4.0

On April 19, as part of the Central Asian WikiConference held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the international organizing team of Wiki Loves Earth hosted an online session titled “Wiki Loves Earth: From Central Asia to the World”.

The session highlighted the role of the international photo contest Wiki Loves Earth in promoting and documenting natural heritage through freely licensed photography. It focused on the growing participation of Central Asian countries and the region’s contribution to the global initiative.

• The discussion covered the development of the contest across Central Asia, showcasing standout photographs from the region. It also provided insights into how to organize a local edition and highlighted the impact of submitted photos in enriching Wikipedia and raising awareness about natural heritage sites.

Check the presentation: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/File:Wiki_Loves_Earth…

Thanks to the organizers and participants for their support and engagement!

Happy Earth Day!
Today, we celebrate the beauty and diversity of our planet — and remind ourselves of the responsibility to protect it.

As part of this year’s Wiki Loves Earth photo competition, we’re proud to feature a special category “Human Rights and Environment”: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Earth_2025/Human_Rights_and_Environment

This nomination highlights the vital connection between a healthy environment and fundamental human rights. Show us how nature and communities interact — from protected areas that sustain local livelihoods to environmental defenders standing up for our planet.

Your photos can make a difference by spreading awareness and contributing to free knowledge on Wikimedia Commons. Join us in capturing the landscapes worth preserving — for all of us, and for future generations!

The last round to apply for funding to organize your local WLE!

Although it is possible to organize a local contest without financial means, having some funding for promotion and prizes would help draw attention to the contest.

If you have such a need, apply in the last relevant round for WLE!

• Cycle 5: 1st May – 27th June 2025, deadline: 01.05.2025.

Make a note: if you apply in this round, the earliest start date for your project will be at the end of June.

If your application was rejected in the previous round, feel free to apply again, taking the provided feedback into account.

Check out the detailed guide on the page: https://w.wiki/Cwd9

Good luck, and let’s showcase the beauty of our nature in 2025 again!

In honor of World Migratory Bird Day, let’s celebrate the beauty and diversity of birds captured through the lens of the Wiki Loves Earth photography competition!

This annual contest invites photographers worldwide to showcase natural heritage, including stunning avian species in their natural habitats.​

Some remarkable examples of the beautiful birds from different parts of the world, captured in the previous edition of the contest:

• White stork, Czech Republic. Author: Lubomír Dajč
• Tern chick, Bangladesh. Author: Asker Ibne Firoz
• Colibri coruscans, Bolivia. Author: Joseloop
• Greater flamingo, Spain. Author: Shelf-full-of-books
• House sparrow, Armenia. Author: Areg1974
• Great grey owl, Ukraine. Author: Olexandr Ghryb
• Lilac-breasted, Tanzania. Author: Giles Laurent
• Red-headed Bunting, Tajikistan. Author: Мухаммадсолех Оев
• Eurasian hoopoe, Italy. Author: Pamyd85
• Osprey, Tunisia. Author: El Golli Mohamed

These photographs exemplify the power of photography to raise awareness about the importance of preserving natural habitats for migratory birds. As we observe World Migratory Bird Day, let’s appreciate and protect the incredible bird species that enrich our planet!