Extraordinary tales of everyday heroism have been illustrated beautifully by renowned US photographer Steve McCurry in the new 2015 Lavazza Calendar. The calendar which has been created in collaboration with the Slow Food movement, features twelve breathtaking pictures, capturing the spirit, strength and humanity of the Earth Defenders – women and men who protect their land and projects in Africa with passion and bravery. The proceeds from sales of the calendar and all donations will be contributed entirely to create 10,000 food gardens in African schools and villages by the end of 2016. (Photo by Steve McCurry/2015 Lavazza Calendar)

Elaine Vandiver shares a moment with a two-year old alpaca as they touch noses as she washes him at her farm at 1560 Stateline Road Monday, May 11, 2015, in Walla Walla, Wash. (Photo by Michael Lopez/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin via AP Photo)

Women take a selfie next to a police officer as they take part in New Year's Eve celebrations in the Bund, in Shanghai, China December 31, 2016. (Photo by Aly Song/Reuters)

A bonnet macaque sits on consecrated idols of snakes during the Nag Panchami festival inside a temple on the outskirts of Bengaluru, India, August 19, 2015. (Photo by Abhishek N. Chinnappa/Reuters)

A woman instructs a boy on how to pose for pictures in front of a mural depicting Soviet pilot Valery Chkalov – who took a non-stop flight over the Arctic and landed in the US state of Washington in 1937 – at Chkalovskaya metro station in Moscow on August 14, 2019. (Photo by Yuri Kadobnov/AFP Photo)

A woman tries to cross a flooded street as people walk on a trestle bridge during high water, in Venice, northern Italy, Friday, November 15, 2019. Exceptionally high tidal waters returned to Venice on Friday, prompting the mayor to close the iconic St. Mark’s Square and call for donations to repair the Italian lagoon city just three days after it experienced its worst flooding in 50 years. (Photo by Andrea Merola/ANSA via AP Photo)

A demonstrator holds up her fist, in front of police officers during a protest, organised by Black Lives Matter Belgium, against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in central Brussels, Belgium on June 7, 2020. (Photo by Yves Herman/Reuters)

“Oak Sunrise” by professional photographer Alan Price has won the International Garden Photographer of the Year, “Celebrating Our Oaks” competition, run in partnership with Action Oak. Action Oak is a campaign to protect the UK’s oak trees from threats including pests and diseases. (Photo by Alan Price/IGOTY)