Paris/Berlin, 16 September 2021 – Renowned Swiss photographer, and Leica ambassador, Dominic Nahr has been awarded bronze at this year's Prix de la Photographie (PX3) in Paris for Save the Children’s photo book "I Am Alive: How Children Survived a Century of Wars."

Inspired by a photograph, British activist Eglantyne Jebb established Save the Children in 1919 and, a century later, Save the Children Germany paid tribute to the child rights revolutionary with its photo book "I Am Alive".

Published internationally by the German Kerber Verlag in November 2020, the 324-page book was awarded bronze in the category "Book/People". First awarded in 2007, the Prix de la Photographie is considered one of the most prestigious of its kind in Europe.

“I am grateful for this prize and hope that with this recognition, the book will continue to reach more people and that the future of long-form storytelling—and these collaborations between photographers and NGO’s—continue to bring insight and awareness of our place in time,” says Dominic Nahr.

"I Am Alive" brings together 11 poignant stories from around the world to showcase what has become of children who have survived war and conflict with Save the Children’s help. Dominic Nahr and journalist Anna Mayumi Kerber, met with contemporary witnesses from each decade of the past 100 years, including 107-year-old World War One survivor, Erich Karl from Berlin, Cambodia-born Vichuta Ly—who lost her family to the Khmer Rouge and now works as a human rights lawyer to fight for victims of violence—and the new-born Rohingya girl Rajiya* from Bangladesh. Their stories remind us not to lose hope and to have the courage to start over.

Dominic Nahr’s visual language merges place and time and interweaves portraits and reportage photography with current and historical material. He uses analogue and digital photography, capturing the people's stories in black and white or colour. The photographs evolve into unique stories with interviews by Anna Mayumi Kerber, essays by Bertram Job and the remarkable design by Harri Kuhn (mischen GbR).

Mr. Nahr adds: “There was a lot of hard work put in by so many people in so many countries under the leadership of Martina Dase. But most importantly, all of us are grateful to the protagonists who shared their stories with Anna Mayumi Kerber and me.

“Sometimes there are ideas that are so grand that they almost seem impossible to bring to life. This project highlights what can be done when we all come together with a common goal to go beyond what we read in the news—to create a book about people's lives, through the incredible designer Harri Kuhn, which will hopefully highlight our collective history through the stories of a few.”

Martina Dase, Communications Director at Save the Children, editor of the book, and initiator of the project, shares his joy: "The honour of being a Prix de la Photographie prize winner means a lot to us, especially as we see the award as a validation of our unique method of storytelling. We wanted to bring the touching life stories of children that have survived the most horrific wars and conflicts over the last 100 years to light through a kaleidoscope of cinematographic photography, impactful journalistic, essayistic and poetic texts, meaningful colour dramaturgy and artful design. Just look at how the girl on the cover, Amal* from Syria, insists on her right to beauty, despite her destroyed childhood and oppressive reality of life.”

The General Manager of the Farmani Group, Hannah Lillethun, which oversees the Prix de la Photographie, said: “I believe these images can inspire people and encourage those who can, to try to make a difference here and now by making the world of tomorrow a better place for our children. We applaud Dominic Nahr for his incredibly important and powerful work.”

This Photography Award is the culmination of a long success story, with its first edition selling out even before the book hit shelves. The second edition of the illustrated photography book is now available in German and English.

"With its vivid reportage photography and sophisticated design, 'I Am Alive' is one of the highlights of our portfolio. We are extremely pleased that this wonderful book has been awarded the prestigious Prix de la Photographie," says publishing director Christof Kerber.

The ambitious hardcover volume, featuring more than 160 illustrations, could not have been realised without the extraordinary commitment of more than 100 Save the Children contributors over a period of two years.

“That is why the award is also dedicated to them and the numerous guest authors from the realms of politics and culture, including Margrethe Vestager, Ban Ki-moon, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Ingo Zamperoni. First and foremost, the award is a tribute to the survivors who entrusted us with their life stories," adds laureate, Dominic Nahr.

*Name changed for child safeguarding purposes