# Million Amazing Women

Million Amazing Women is a global photographic expedition aimed at capturing one million portraits of women from all 195 countries. A team of photographers led by Bharadwaj Dayala will travel across the globe to photograph women from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life. The project is a tribute to the women of the world and their inspiring stories. The aim is to create not only a timeless archive of a million beautiful faces but also their strength, resilience, and achievements, preserving their stories for future generations.

## Objectives

* Celebrate Diversity: Capture portraits of women from all walks of life, backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures - from daily laborers, professionals, and community leaders, to global icons, showcasing their unique stories.
* Empower Women: Showcase and spotlight the achievements of women making meaningful contributions to their local communities and beyond.
* Preserve Stories: Create a lasting visual archive that documents the lives and triumphs of women for future generations.
* Drive Change: Collaborate with local and global women empowerment organizations to highlight various issues, support their initiatives, and advocate for gender equality.

## Global Tour

Million Amazing Women is an extended road expedition covering all 195 countries across 7 continents. It is a longterm women empowerment project with an estimated timespan of 12 years. This is not a project to collect a million photographs but Bharadwaj Dayala and his team will actually travel extensively in each country, documenting women in their natural environments.
* Environmental portraits of the Women will be photographed in their local settings, showcasing their culture, identity, and environment.
* Each portrait will carry a story, capturing the woman’s journey, the problems faced, and how she is coping with them.
* Traditional attire and cultural elements will be highlighted to reflect the rich diversity of each country and region.
* All the photographs will be displayed on the Million Amazing Women website and promoted on various social media platforms, creating an unprecedented digital collection accessible to a global audience.

## Awards and recognition

To recognize and promote the efforts of the global women, "The Most Amazing Women" Awards will be presented:
* Weekly Awards – Focused on recognizing local women making a difference in their communities.
* Annual Awards – Honoring extraordinary women and their initiatives - providing wider exposure and recognition for reaching a broad international audience.

## Social impact

* The aim is to create a visible and lasting impact.
* Bring global attention to women-led initiatives and grassroots organizations, helping them gain the recognition they deserve.
* Building Connections to help women and their organizations connect with sponsors, nonprofits, and funding sources to support their work.
* Creating awareness about existing problems and possible solutions.
* Creating a Global Network of Inspiring Women to show that they are not alone and that their initiatives will be supported by global women.

## Nonprofit Approach

Million Amazing Women is a nonprofit initiative dedicated to cultural documentation without commercial influence. The project chooses not to accept corporate sponsorships that require branding, advertising, or influence over the creative process. Funding is expected from silent sponsors, philanthropic grants, and institutional partnerships with museums, universities, and cultural organizations supporting the mission without seeking promotional benefits.
The decision to keep the project nonprofit stems from a commitment to authenticity and artistic integrity. By not commercializing the portraits or exhibitions, the project ensures that every woman photographed is honored for who she is, not as part of a marketing campaign. It also guarantees that the portraits remain timeless records of real people, cultures, and identities.

## Launch and timeline

* The project was officially launched on January 10, 2025. The Awards Ceremony will be held and the global photographic journey will be flagged off on March 8, 2025 (International Women’s Day) from India.
* The journey will begin with India and after covering India in depth, the expedition will expand to other nations, traveling across 195 countries.
* Over the course of 12 years, the journey will systematically move through different regions, countries, and continents, capturing one million portraits and sharing the incredible stories of women worldwide.