The World Press Photo 2024 exhibition, featuring selections from the 67th annual World Press Photo Contest, opened last Friday at the Drik Gallery in Dhaka.

This exhibition shines a light on some of the world’s most pressing challenges, presenting powerful visual narratives on themes ranging from devastating conflicts and political upheaval to the climate crisis and the struggles of migrant journeys.

This exhibition, which tours to several cities globally, brings to Dhaka a selection of moving and powerful images from the competition, giving audiences a unique window into narratives across the globe, touching on issues from environmental crises to social conflicts .

Stories that resonate across borders

As part of its global tour, the exhibition in Dhaka was inaugurated on October 25 with distinguished guests such as Irma van Dueren, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh; Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression; and Shahidul Alam, Managing Director of Drik and former World Press Photo Contest Jury.

The photographs, displayed in their original, unaltered forms, invite viewers to confront the realities of critical global issues, sparking discussion and fostering empathy. These images serve as powerful communicators, allowing voices and stories that often go unheard to reach a wider audience.’

Among the highlights of this year’s contest is the “Photo of the Year” by Palestinian photojournalist Mohammed Salem. It captures the heartbreaking moment Inas Abu Maamar cradles her five-year-old granddaughter Saly, killed in an Israeli rocket attack in Gaza. Salem’s photo, taken days after the birth of her own child, symbolizes the deep human cost of the conflict, showing the impact on families and the suffering endured by civilians in Gaza.

In Madagascar, Lee-Ann Olwage’s photograph, titled ‘Valim-babena’, tells the touching story of 91-year-old Dada Paul and her granddaughter. Living with dementia, Dada Paul is cared for by his family, exemplifying the Malagasy tradition of caring as a moral duty. This story reflects not only the challenges of dementia, but also the beauty of cultural support systems in action. It won the Story of the Year Award.

Alejandro Cegarra’s “The Two Walls,” which won the long-term project award, offers a look at the perilous journey of migrants atop a freight train to the US border. His project reveals the dangers, hardships and resilience of those forced into life-threatening migrations, painting a vivid picture of courage in the midst of hardship.

In War Is Personal, Julia Kochetova combines photography with poetry and music, offering a raw and intimate insight into life in war-torn Ukraine. Her interdisciplinary project conveys the resilience and hope of Ukrainians, inviting viewers to understand the psychological impact of the ongoing conflict. It won the Open Format Award.

Highlights of the exhibition include images that explore the impact of climate change, capturing scenes of devastation caused by fires and floods and clearly depicting their human and ecological impacts. These images transcend geography, serving as powerful reminders of the universal urgency to address environmental challenges.

Photographs from conflict zones provide another engaging aspect of the exhibition. These images delve into the lives of those in war-torn areas, humanizing the statistics by capturing the raw emotions of pain, hope and survival.

A photograph of young children looking at an apple their mother begged for in Kabul, for example, encapsulates both innocence and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship. Similarly, the haunting image of West African immigrants navigating treacherous waters to escape violence reminds us of the cost of human conflict and the courage required to survive it.

A photograph depicting sea level rise is Eddie Jim’s “Fighting, Not Sinking”, where an elderly man from the Fijian community is seen standing on water with his grandson. Another prominent image shows a fisherman wading across the dry bed of a branch of the Amazon River, highlighting ongoing climate change. There were also photos from the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, Afghanistan and Venezuela.

There was also a series of photos of a cancer patient and her family.

The ‘photo of the year’ by Palestinian photojournalist Mohammed Salem captures a heartbreaking moment as Inas Abu Maamar cradles her five-year-old granddaughter Saly, killed in an Israeli rocket attack in Gaza. Salem’s photo, taken days after the birth of her own child, symbolizes the deep human cost of the conflict, showing the impact on families and the suffering endured by civilians in Gaza.

A legacy of truth in photojournalism

The World Press Photo Competition was first established in 1955 by Dutch photographers who sought to highlight compelling stories through a competition dedicated to impactful visual storytelling. Over the decades, the contest has become an acclaimed international platform, celebrating ethical and unfiltered photojournalism.

The foundation’s commitment to authenticity ensures that each photo is a true representation of its subject, free of manipulation. Today, the annual contest and global exhibition continues to connect audiences around the world, highlighting the importance of press freedom and transparency in a world increasingly susceptible to misinformation.

In its 67th edition, the contest attracted 3,851 photographers from 130 countries, with more than 61,000 photos submitted. An international panel of judges selected images that capture some of humanity’s most pressing narratives, depicting both resilience and vulnerability. This year’s exhibition features 129 photographs from 31 regional winners. With this exhibition, the World Press Photo Foundation reaffirms its commitment to authentic storytelling.

Drik previously hosted the 2022 show and managed the judging for the 2023 entries as well.

The World Press Photo exhibition will run until November 14 from 3pm to 8pm