Orchids for Future
📢 Invitation to the UNESCO Student Competition "Orchids for Future" 🌱🌍
🚀 Get creative, explore the fascinating world of orchids, and design a poster that merges science and art!
The German Orchid Society (D.O.G.) invites all German UNESCO project schools to participate in the poster competition "Orchids for Future". This competition is part of the 24th World Orchid Conference (WOC), taking place from March 26-29, 2026, in Dresden.
It offers students the chance to creatively and scientifically explore orchids and their significance for the future. The goal is to design an engaging poster that highlights the fascination of orchids.
👥 Who?
Students from German UNESCO project schools in grades 7-10.
🏆 What can you win?
The top 10 posters will receive a cash prize, be printed, and displayed at the 24th World Orchid Conference from March 26–29, 2026, in Dresden.
📅 When?
Apply by November 15, 2025.
✨ Be creative and discover the world of orchids!
The top ten entries will not only receive a cash prize but will also be exhibited at the WOC in Dresden, reaching an audience of 50,000 visitors! The ten winning posters will be printed, and additional selected entries will be displayed digitally. The winning poster will also be featured in the magazine “Die Orchidee” of the German Orchid Society.
📋 Format
🌸 Your Challenge: Where Science Meets Art!
Orchids are one of the largest plant families in the world! With over 25,000 wild species and countless cultivated varieties, they grow almost everywhere—from tropical rainforests to right here in Germany. Some orchids have developed incredible adaptations to their environment and pollinators, while others face extinction.
💡 Task:
Create a creative and informative poster that showcases why orchids are so fascinating.
📌 Important:
Your poster should not only be visually appealing but also include scientific information!
🎨🔬 How to Design Your Poster
Your poster should be eye-catching and informative at first glance. Here are some ideas for inspiration:
🔬 Example 1:
The Secret Life of an Orchid
📸 A large drawing or photograph of a wild orchid
📌 Small info boxes detailing its pollination, adaptations, or origin
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🔍 Explore a unique orchid species—maybe one grows near your school?
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🌱 Show how orchids adapt to different habitats
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🎨 Include artistic elements like a cross-section of the flower or an illustrated map of its habitat
🎨 Example 2:
Orchids as Nature’s Masterpieces
🖌 A creative collage featuring drawn, photographed, or painted orchids
📌 A text box with scientific information on their diversity and conservation status
💡 Consider a comparison: How do wild orchids differ from cultivated varieties?
🌍 Example 3:
International Orchids – Global Diversity
👥 Collaborate with a UNESCO partner school from another country
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🌍 Investigate how endangered orchids are protected globally—are there differences between Germany and other countries?
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📌 Compare native German orchids with tropical species from your partner school’s region
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🎨 Create a world map with illustrated orchids from different regions and add informative texts
🤝 Tip: Work together—nationally or internationally!
Need more inspiration?
Reach out to one of the 22 regional groups of the German Orchid Society e.V. or explore orchidee.de.
If your school has a UNESCO partner school abroad, ask them to join the competition! Since orchids exist worldwide, you might discover similarities and differences between German and tropical orchids.
🚀 Be creative, dive into the world of orchids, and become part of this exciting competition!
💡Teacher’s Tip
From Mrs. Blömer, Biology & Art Teacher,
Thomas-Morus Gymnasium:
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Explore which orchids grow in your area and identify their names.
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Focus on unique characteristics—some orchids show special adaptations to their environment or pollinators.
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Remember: Many wild orchids are endangered. If you find local orchids, keep their location secret to protect them from theft.
Environmental threats like habitat destruction or climate change also endanger orchids. You could design a poster highlighting these risks.
Don’t forget—the unique beauty of orchids can be a central element of your design! 🌸
📌 Participation Guidelines
✔ Who? Students from UNESCO project schools, grades 7-10
✔ Maximum Number of Submissions: We welcome one submission per class, working group, or elective subject. If multiple small groups within a class create their own entries, the class should collectively choose one favorite for submission.
📅 Deadline for submissions: November 15, 2025
📍 Poster exhibition: World Orchid Conference, Dresden, March 26-29, 2026
🎁 Prizes
You win as a team, and your teacher has the flexibility to use the prize for your projects, clubs, workshops, or other group activities.
🏆 1st Prize: €1,500
🥈 2nd Prize: €1,000
🥉 3rd Prize: €700
🏅 4th–10th Place: €400 each
💻 How to Participate
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Orchids for Future – Think about how to showcase orchids and their importance for the future in a poster
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Research the topic scientifically and express it artistically
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Write a summary of your project (max. 300 words) in German and English
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Ask your teacher to sign the consent form and data protection declaration
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Submit your poster and the required documents digitally by November 15, 2025, via email:
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Recommended quality: 300 dpi (professional print quality for A0 format)
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Dimensions: 9,914 × 14,032 pixels
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Format: .pdf
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A jury of experts will evaluate creativity, relevance to the future, and quality to select the winners
✉ Submit your entry to: orchids4future@woc2026.orchidee.de
📄 For more information & full participation guidelines: Please refer to the official documents below.
🌱✨ Be part of the future—
discover the world of orchids!
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Gerhard Ziegenfuß for initiating and designing the competition. Gratitude for the creation of the invitation flyer goes to Mrs. Blömer and the 9th-grade German/Art elective course at Thomas-Morus Gymnasium in Oelde.