StoryMaps, also known as maps with the story, serve to create a captivating interactive presentation that integrates maps, photographs, videos, and other content. This form of presentation allows for a better illustration of spatial relationships and enhances the visual appeal of information.

Esri has been organizing the international ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition since 2019. In recent years, this competition has become one of the most prestigious contests in the field of geography, regularly attracting significant international organizations such as the National Geographic Society.

In 2023, the competition had a record number of participants, thanks to an exceptional collaboration with IUCN. Entries StoryMaps come from over fifty countries worldwide, covering all continents. The competition this year was focused on two tracks. The first track dealt with stories about an Indigenous or locally led project, while the second track centered around a research project, scientific study, or scholarly article. Both tracks were open to participants of various backgrounds including individuals, research organizations, private companies, and universities. The students had their dedicated category in both tracks.

Esri selected ten outstanding contributions and five top student entries for the competition’s finals. The announcement of finalists took place on GIS Day 2023, and the recording of the declaration is available here: ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition – Esri Videos: GIS, Events, ArcGIS Products & Industries. From the finalists, an expert panel consisting of eight guest judges with diverse expertise and recognized at the global level chose the winners.

To explore the contributions that made it to the finals, you can follow this link: 2023 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition finalists

The student winner with a StoryMap focusing on wind erosion titled “Wind Erosion” is Petr Zálešák, who is the sole winner from Europe in this year’s competition. The judging panel was most impressed by the subject matter of the work, along with its presentation and originality.

You can view the winning StoryMap at the following link: Wind Erosion (arcgis.com)

The winning contributions are available at the following links:

2023 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition Winners Gallery (esri.com)

2023 Storytellers of the Year (arcgis.com)

Meet the 2023 Storytellers of the Year (esri.com)

All information about the competition is available here: 2023 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition (esri.com)