The suffering of Palestinian women during the Israeli war in Gaza, the disaster that urges us to combat the climate crisis, and the concept of “family” applied to challenges such as immigration, the trauma of the armed conflict or diseases, are the focus of the award-winning works. this year by World Press Photo in the regional categories.
There are 24 winning projects and six honorable mentions, although this year, the jury decided to include two special mentions. There are 33 professionals awarded, in four categories: Individuals (Singles), Graphic Reports (Stories), Long-Term Projects (Long-Term Projects) and Open Format.
The names of the four global winners will be announced on April 18.
Photographer Mohammed Salem is the author of the winning photo in Asia, “A Palestinian woman hugs the body of her niece,” a 5-year-old girl wrapped in a white sheet. She died after an Israeli missile hit her house on October 17.
In “Graphic Reports”, a work by Ebrahim Noroosi on the economic and human devastation in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban in 2021 wins, while the “Long Term Project” in Asia is won by the Chinese photographer Wang Naigong, who records the role of the family in the fight against cancer of a mother in China.
The individual photo of Europe was taken by Turkish Adem Altan during the tragic earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria in February last year, causing more than 55,000 deaths and 3.3 million displaced people.
The German Johanna Maria Fritz is the author of “Kakhovka Dam: Floods in a War Zone”, the award-winning graphic report in Europe that reveals the human impact of the militarization of the environment.
The long-term project “No Man's Land”, by Franco-German Daniel Chatard, has been chosen by the European jury because it documents innovative technologies that offer possible routes to achieve climate goals.
In Africa, the photograph “Coming Home from War” has won, captured in Ethiopia by the German Vincent Haiges, which shows a 24-year-old young man greeting his mother, after losing a leg when he was hit by a grenade in the violent internal conflict.
South African photographer Lee-Ann Olwage made the graphic report from Africa that denounces the lack of public awareness in Madagascar about dementia, which stigmatizes those who suffer from it. It tells the life of a 91-year-old man cared for by his 41-year-old daughter.
The “Open Format” category is shared by two Brazilian photographers, Felipe Dana and Renata Brito, who have investigated the tragedies of an Atlantic route used by immigrants from West Africa to reach Europe on a dangerous journey.
Tunisia focuses on the theme of “Long-term project”, with a work by photojournalist Zied ben Romdhane that explores the lives of young Tunisians who witnessed political instability, persistent economic crisis and social inequality, which blurred aspirations for democracy. and social justice after the 2011 revolution in Tunisia.
The Spanish photographer Jaime Rojo, based in Mexico, has been awarded in North and Central America for his graphic report “Saving the Monarchs”, which deals with the migration of monarch butterflies.
Alejandro Cegarra, Venezuelan photojournalist, is the author of the long-term project “The Two Walls,” which documents the vulnerability of migrant communities, while trying to highlight their resilience.
In South America, the award-winning photo is named after the Brazilian Lalo de Almeida and denounces “The drought in the Amazon”, with an image of a fisherman walking along a dry river bed, near the indigenous community of Porto Praia.
In this same region, the jury has recognized the graphic report by Venezuelan Adriana Loureiro Fernández “Red Skies, Green Waters”, which recounts the harmful impacts of the oil industry on the environment and the social fabric of Venezuela.
The long-term project in South America category awards Argentinian Pablo E. Piovano for“Mapuche: the return of ancient voices,” which highlights the cosmovision of indigenous peoples as part of their struggle against governments and industries.
Peruvian Marco Garro has been awarded for “Silenced Crimes”, open-ended stories of the persecution of LGTBQI people in the Peruvian Amazon.
This year the jury analyzed more than 61,000 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries.
