The Humanity Photo Awards (HPA) is a biennial photography contest focusing on folklore cultures, including portrait & costume, architecture, living custom, production & commerce, festivities and traditional rites. It was founded in 1998 by China Folklore Photographic Association and was blessed with UNESCO’s support since its 2nd session in 2000. HPA aims to encourage photographers, both amateur and professional, all over the world to document folklore cultures in an extensive and profound way. It is committed to the promotion of recording, spreading, exchanging and sharing of diverse cultures with images. During the past 18 years, photographers from 162 countries have participated in HPA and HPA has accumulated images about folklore phenomena of 178 countries and regions in the world.