Press release

ZEISS Photographers Support vivo and UNESCO in Global Visual Storytelling Initiative

28 May 2026

Oberkochen, Germany | 28 May 2026 | ZEISS Photonics & Optics

vivo and UNESCO’s global initiative, "Capture the Future," continues to empower youth visual storytelling, with ZEISS photographers providing expert support at events worldwide. From Asia to Europe, workshops have inspired young creators to document the coexistence of people and nature through impactful visual narratives.

A Global Collaboration for Creativity and Conservation

The initiative, launched by vivo and UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme (UNESCO MAB) this year, leverages UNESCO’s academic network to host events at universities globally. These workshops introduce UNESCO’s environmental initiatives and vivo’s imaging technology, alongside practical training sessions led by photographers and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs).

Recent events include:

ZEISS Ambassador Urasha Jakkachaphol leads a workshop at Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, Malaysia, supporting young participants in mobile photography techniques and storytelling.

ZEISS Ambassador Urasha Jakkachaphol guided participants with her expertise in mobile imaging, alongside vivo specialists at Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, Malaysia (April 25–26, 2026).

ZEISS Ambassador Urasha Jakkachaphol leads a workshop at Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, Malaysia, supporting young participants in mobile photography techniques and storytelling.

Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve

Malaysia (April 25–26, 2026)

Over 250 youth participants explored biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods through mobile storytelling. ZEISS ambassador Urasha Jakkachaphol guided participants with her expertise in mobile imaging, alongside vivo specialists. "Youthful creativity brings the stories of our human experience to life”, said Urasha. “We used the vivo V70 to empower the next generation to capture with intention, revealing the profound beauty and subtle details of nature and everyday life."

ZEISS Ambassador Francesco Gola showcases photography techniques and storytelling tips during a seminar at the University of Milan.

ZEISS Ambassador Francesco Gola shared photography insights at the University of Milan, Italy, in late April 2026, inspiring students with practical tips for visual storytelling.

ZEISS Ambassador Francesco Gola showcases photography techniques and storytelling tips during a seminar at the University of Milan.

University of Milan

Italy (April 30, 2026)

A half-day campus seminar brought together 30 local university students. Francesco Gola, a ZEISS ambassador, shared his personal journey of reconnecting with nature through photography. He emphasized that visual storytelling is less about equipment and more about observing and conveying emotions. Francesco inspired participants with practical techniques, showcasing how smartphones can achieve professional-quality results. Francesco reflected: "Photographing nature is not about freezing it — it’s about learning to move at its rhythm."

Group photo from the opening day of the 3rd Global MAB Youth Forum in Italy, where ZEISS photographer Solmaz Kanani Bahri led a workshop on mobile storytelling.

Opening day of the 3rd Global MAB Youth Forum in Rosolina Mare, Italy, May 18, 2026: From left to right: National MAB Youth Focal Point for Egypt, Nourhan Ahmed Said Ahmed Elmaghrabi, Director of Ecological and Earth Sciences and Secretariat of the MAB Programme, Antonio De Sousa Abreu, National MAB Youth Focal Point for Italy, Ludovica Ramella, and ZEISS photographer Solmaz Kanani Bahri.

Group photo from the opening day of the 3rd Global MAB Youth Forum in Italy, where ZEISS photographer Solmaz Kanani Bahri led a workshop on mobile storytelling.

UNESCO MAB Global Youth Forum

Delta del Po Biosphere Reserve, Italy (May 18, 2026)

Over 300 youth delegates participated in a workshop led by ZEISS photographer Solli Kanani. The session focused on mobile photography techniques and visual storytelling using vivo smartphones, empowering participants to create impactful narratives.

Strengthening a Global Movement for Sustainability

The partnership between vivo and UNESCO positions mobile storytelling as a powerful tool for sustainability, enabling UNESCO to reach broader audiences, especially young creators. For vivo, the initiative aligns with their global CSR strategy, enhancing their brand image while connecting with young talents and positioning their smartphones as tools for meaningful storytelling.

This initiative also highlights the strength of the vivo ZEISS partnership, which focuses on advancing mobile imaging capabilities and enabling users to tell meaningful stories. By combining vivo’s innovative smartphone technology with ZEISS’s expertise in optics, the collaboration empowers creators worldwide to explore new dimensions of visual storytelling. Together, vivo and ZEISS continue to redefine mobile imaging for a better-connected and more sustainable world.

Stay tuned for updates from the Global Youth Forum and other inspiring stories as ZEISS photographers continue to support vivo and UNESCO’s efforts worldwide.

Press Contact Joachim Kuss ZEISS Photonics & Optics

About ZEISS

ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling almost 12 billion euros in its four segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, and Consumer Markets (September 30, 2025).

For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces, and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world's leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses, and binoculars.

With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare, and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future of technology and constantly advancing the world of optics and related fields with its solutions. The company's significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS' technology and market leadership. ZEISS invests 15 percent of its revenue in research and development – this high level of expenditure has a long tradition at ZEISS and is also an investment in the future.

With over 46,600 employees, ZEISS is active globally in around 50 countries with more than 60 sales and service locations, around 40 research and development facilities, and 30 production facilities worldwide (September 30, 2025). Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the largest foundations in Germany committed to the promotion of science, is the sole owner of the holding company, Carl Zeiss AG.

Further information at www.zeiss.com

About Photonics & Optics

ZEISS, a leading provider of optical and optoelectronic technologies, brings together business units outside of its segments in the strategic business urea of Photonics & Optics, based in Oberkochen and Jena. This area offers customers worldwide a wide range of optical and photonic technologies in highly specialized markets: Mobile Imaging, Hunting & Nature, Cinematography, Microoptics, Spectroscopy, Planetarium, and Simulation Projection Solutions. By bringing these various business areas together under one roof, ZEISS creates a home for these highly specialized businesses, allowing them to focus entirely on their technology and market development and the success of their customers.

Press photos

  • ZEISS Ambassador Urasha Jakkachaphol at Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve

    ZEISS Ambassador Urasha Jakkachaphol guided participants with her expertise in mobile imaging, alongside vivo specialists at Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, Malaysia (April 25–26, 2026).

    519 KB
  • Francesco Gola shares photography insights at the University of Milan

    ZEISS Ambassador Francesco Gola shared photography insights at the University of Milan, Italy, in late April 2026, inspiring students with practical tips for visual storytelling.

    2 MB
  • Opening of the 3rd Global MAB Youth Forum in Italy

    Opening day of the 3rd Global MAB Youth Forum in Rosolina Mare, Italy, May 18, 2026: From left to right: National MAB Youth Focal Point for Egypt, Nourhan Ahmed Said Ahmed Elmaghrabi, Director of Ecological and Earth Sciences and Secretariat of the MAB Programme, Antonio De Sousa Abreu, National MAB Youth Focal Point for Italy, Ludovica Ramella, and ZEISS photographer Solmaz Kanani Bahri.

    2 MB