This year marks the 70th anniversary of World Press Photo. For seven decades, we have supported, celebrated, and safeguarded the work of photojournalists and documentary photographers around the world. It is an occasion for reflection, gratitude, and a renewed commitment to the core of what we do: championing the power of photojournalism and documentary photography to deepen understanding of the world’s complexities, promote dialogue, and inspire action.
When World Press Photo was founded in 1955 by a group of Dutch photographers, their mission was simple yet radical – to bring the world’s most compelling images to a broader audience. Today, that mission is more urgent than ever. In 70 years, the world has changed in unimaginable ways, and photography has evolved with it. We have moved from black-and-white prints to immersive multimedia storytelling; from front-page conflict reporting to longform investigations of systemic injustice and climate collapse. Yet the essence of powerful visual journalism remains unchanged: a commitment to truth, to witnessing, and to giving voice to those unheard.
The World Press Photo Contest has long been the beating heart of our organization. Each year, it highlights the work of photographers who often operate under immense pressure, who face censorship, risk their lives, and have limited resources. Their courage and commitment to the right to inform drive the global conversation forward, and we are proud to provide a platform that honors and elevates their voices.
But anniversaries are not just about celebration. They are moments of accountability. Over the past years, we’ve taken deliberate steps to become more inclusive, more global, and more reflective of the diverse realities in our world. This has meant changing the structure of our contest, creating regional juries, investing in local exhibitions, and listening – deeply – to the photographers and audiences we serve. We’ve committed ourselves to transparency: jury members change each year; the selection processes are rigorous and documented; and we create space for public conversation around the awarded work. We understand that people may see different things in the same photo. That’s not a flaw, it’s the point. Encouraging thoughtful discussion is central to our mission.
Being a leading voice in the industry brings great responsibility. As we celebrate our 70-year history, we are also taking a critical look at the role we’ve played in shaping global understanding. The images we have awarded over the decades have informed, moved, and provoked – raising awareness of urgent issues, amplifying underreported stories, and, at times, forcing us to confront the consequences of our own choices. Storytelling remains at the heart of our work, but storytelling comes with accountability. We know the power images hold, and we strive to ensure that the stories we spotlight reflect the complexity of the world. This anniversary offers not only a moment of reflection, but also an opportunity to learn from the past and to continue evolving with purpose and integrity.
Find out how we are celebrating the milestone. As we look ahead, the next chapter of World Press Photo will be about impact. While the annual contest remains a cornerstone of our work, we invest in much more – mentoring emerging talent, collaborating globally with partners, and upholding rigorous standards of ethics, transparency, and equity. In today’s shifting media landscape, it has become more urgent to bring these values to the forefront. One way we’re doing this is by evolving the Joop Swart Masterclass, our most esteemed educational program, to reflect the needs of today’s visual storytellers. Beyond the craft of storytelling, the program also focuses on the skills photographers need to sustain their work in an increasingly complex world: security training, grant writing, contract negotiation, and more. This approach reflects our broader commitment, not only to support photography as an art and a tool for understanding, but to equip practitioners with the tools to thrive and remain independent. In all we do, we are guided by a responsibility to evolve with the times with rigour, honesty and a deep sense of care. In doing so, we must continue to make use of the space and freedoms available to us – to inform and to bring people together. This is what photojournalists continue to do every day, often under challenging and uncertain circumstances.
To the photographers, jury members, partners, and supporters who have been part of this 70-year journey: thank you. Your work has built this institution – image by image, story by story. And to the new generation of visual storytellers: we are here for you. We will continue to amplify your voices, expose injustice, and build bridges between people through the power of photography.
Here’s to 70 more years of connecting people through photography, sparking dialogue, and inspiring action.
Joumana El Zein Khoury
Executive director, World Press Photo
