Hundreds of photographs to be sent into space to broadcast a message of peace and unity from humankind

1854 Media, the publisher of British Journal of Photography, has partnered with ​Sent Into Space​ to broadcast a message of peace and unity from humankind to space – and possibly even our extra-terrestrial counterparts – using ​200 shortlisted images​ from this year's contest.

In a feat never before achieved with a photographic exhibition, Sent Into Space will launch a framed screen exhibiting the images over 111,000 feet into the stratosphere with a 360-degree camera attached so that photographers can see their pictures displayed against the extraordinary backdrop of space.

The images will then be translated into binary code and beamed into space. The radio waves will travel unimpeded through the solar system and ultimately through the universe at the speed of light; these messages could continue on an infinite journey for the rest of time – or until another civilisation receives and decodes them.

What better way for humanity to be reminded of all that we have in common than this beautifully simple gesture, to say: "we earthlings".

The deadline for Portrait of Humanity 2020 ends tomorrow, Tuesday 21 January 2020. Visit portraitofhumanity.co to enter and find out more. In the meantime, here are some of the editor's picks from the shortlisted entries so far. Do you think these broadcast a message of peace and unity? We think so.