KABUL - 'Show us your Afghanistan' photographic competition has been officially launched on Monday in Kabul and calls on photographers from around the country to send in their best images to showcase Afghanistan's rich history and vibrant culture.

Organized by UNESCO and the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC), and financed by South Korea, the aim of the competition is to get people to use their smartphones and cameras "to tell the story of the Afghanistan we are proud of," said organizers in a statement.

Head of UNESCO's cultural programs Sara Noshadi said: "Becoming familiar with cultural heritage will help identify the national heritage of people and find common ground which will help give people hope for the future."

Mohammad Reza Yamak, one of the competition judges, said: "We will get a collection of photographs which can bring honor to all the people in the country."

Organizers said Afghanistan is all too often only seen as a place of conflict and strife "but Afghans know this is far from the whole story."

"The country is a place of extraordinary resilience, where some of the world's most ancient cultural traditions mingle, where there are stunningly varied landscapes, where beauty, pride and optimism are national characteristics," read the statement.

The competition is open to all Afghans and non-Afghans and entries should illustrate the significance of either the cultural or natural heritage of Afghanistan.

Each entrant may submit up to 10 images per section and photos must have been taken within the last three months. Entries close on 21 December 2015.

The overall winner will win $5,000 USD. Second place $4,000 USD and third place $3,000 USD. (Tolonews)