“Gaza Under Israeli Attack” © Ali Jadallah, Anadolu Agency. Winners, West, Central, and South Asia, Stories
“People watch as smoke and flames rise over a building, following Israeli attacks on Deir al-Balah. Israel bombarded the central Gazan city multiple times throughout the year. Israel continued its war on Gaza throughout 2024, leaving much of it in ruins. The UN reports more than 60% of homes have been destroyed and 95% of hospitals are non-functional. Nearly two million people have been displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines, due to Israeli restrictions. With international journalists effectively barred from Gaza, local photographers risked their lives to document the war. The photographer, who has also lost family members, says: ‘Every time I photograph a destroyed house, I remember mine. Every time the wounded and martyred are pulled from the rubble, I remember my father and siblings.’”
The prestigious World Press Photo Contest has announced the winners of its 2025 competition, highlighting more photojournalistic talent than ever. This year, 42 winners from 30 countries were recognized for their talent and courage in creating striking visuals that bring global news to the forefront.
For this 68th edition of the contest, winners were selected from 59,320 entries by 3,778 photographers from 141 countries. To highlight global talent and demonstrate the stories that affect the entire world, the competition is broken into six regions. While this has been a policy since 2021, this year’s contest is the first time that three winners were named in the Single Image and Stories subdivisions. Opening up the contest in this manner just shows the strength of the competition.
“We made our choices with an eye on the final mix. As much as the World Press Photo Contest award is an immense recognition for photographers, often working under difficult circumstances, it is also a recap of the world’s major events, however incomplete,” says Global jury chair, Lucy Conticello, director of photography for M, Le Monde‘s weekend magazine. “As a jury we were looking for pictures that people can start conversations around.”
From devastating images of Gaza under attack to the Secret Service escorting Donald Trump after an assassination attempt, political turmoil dominates the winning photographs. Climate change is not far behind, with stories on flooding in Brazil and typhoons in the Philippines spotlighting the extreme weather that is unfortunately becoming the norm. But beyond that, the winners touch on myriad topics from Indigenous rights and LGBTQI+ issues to the plight of refugees and the fight for better working conditions.
“We live in a time when it is easier than ever to look away, to scroll past, to disengage. But these images do not let us do that,” shares Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of the World Press Photo. “They cut through the noise, forcing us to acknowledge what is unfolding, even when it is uncomfortable, even when it makes us question the world we live in—and our own role within it.”
These images will gain even more reach as they join the World Press Photo annual traveling exhibition, which visits over 60 locations around the world. Scroll down to see some of our favorite winners and stay tuned for the April 17 announcement of the World Press Photo of the Year.
The prestigious World Press Photo Contest has announced the winners of its 2025 competition, highlighting more photojournalistic talent than ever.
“Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump” © Jabin Botsford, for The Washington Post. Winner, North and Central America, Singles
“Members of the United States Secret Service help Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump off stage moments after a bullet from an attempted assassin hit his ear during a campaign rally. The assassination attempt on Donald Trump, and the media coverage that followed, is believed to have marked a turning point in the presidential campaign that would shape not only the election to come, but the United States’ political future. Shortly after the shooting, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee defiantly shouted “Fight, fight, fight!” as he was escorted off the stage. Notably, this image, captured seconds later, presents a rare and candid moment of fragility in a campaign that focused on vitality and strength.”
“Aircraft on Flooded Tarmac” © Anselmo Cunha, Agence France-Presse. Winner, South America, Singles
“A stranded Boeing 727-200 surrounded by floodwaters at Salgado Filho International Airport. Between April and June 2024, record-breaking rainfall in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, led to the worst flood in the area’s history. More than half a million people were displaced and more than 183 died in the floods. According to scientists, climate change – driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, including those used in passenger air travel – almost certainly intensified the floods. In the larger context of the global climate crisis, this image of a plane suspended between sky and water becomes a foreboding symbol.”
“Kenya’s Youth Uprising” © Luis Tato, Agence France-Presse. Winner, Africa, Stories.
“A protestor raises a fist in defiance as Kenyan police officers use a water cannon to disperse the gathering. Pink dye in the water is often used by police at protests to mark individuals for identification. In 2024, the National Treasury of Kenya proposed additional taxes on everyday items to generate additional income and alleviate Kenya’s high debt burden. Protests against the bill erupted, led by young Kenyans who organized actions over social media. On 25 June, protestors stormed Parliament and clashed with police; many were killed or abducted and hundreds were injured. Though President William Ruto withdrew the bill, protests persist into 2025, fueled by anger over economic hardship, corruption, police brutality, and distrust of the political class. All across Kenya, young people have emerged as a driving force, demanding accountability and systemic reforms.”
“The Canvas of Power” © Suvra Kanti Das, for The Daily Prothom Alo. Winner, West, Central, and South Asia, Singles
“People vandalize a statue of former Bangladesh president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had resigned following weeks of unrest. A July 2024 student protest against a restrictive government job quota scheme escalated into a mass uprising against a government accused of unlawful detentions, enforced disappearances, and widespread suppression of dissent. Unrest took place against a backdrop of struggles for fair elections, and a cyber-security law seen to erode freedom of speech. Although initially peaceful, demonstrations became violent after authorities and pro-government paramilitaries cracked down on protesters, killing at least 1,400 people. By August the regime had collapsed. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and went into exile, and army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced the formation of an interim government.”
“The Impact of Nickel Mining on Halmahera Island” © Mas Agung Wilis Yudha Baskoro, for China Global South Project. Winner, Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Singles
“Workers ride towards a nickel smelting and processing plant, amid heavy rains that continued for two days, causing flooding. Nickel mining in Indonesia has ramped up in the past decade, and Weda Bay now accounts for 17% of global production of a metal essential for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage. Research indicates that deforestation from mining leads to longer and more frequent flooding. Air pollution from nickel smelting and coal-based energy production has also surged, with one local health center recording a 25-fold increase in respiratory diseases between 2020 and 2023.”
Winners were selected from 59,320 submitted entries by 3,778 photographers from 141 countries.
“Protests in Georgia” © Mikhail Tereshchenko, TASS Agency. Winner, Europe, Stories
“A protester rinses her eyes after police have deployed tear gas. She wears a protective ski mask, respirator, and gardening gloves (to pick up hot gas containers).
Citizens took to the streets across Georgia in November 2024 when prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a four-year suspension of talks on joining the EU. This followed the European Parliament’s rejection of Georgia’s recent elections, amidst claims of vote rigging. In the capital, Tbilisi, as thousands demonstrated, clashes erupted between police and protesters outside the parliament building. Protests continued, despite a severe government crackdown on dissent in late December, when a law was passed criminalizing even symbolic acts of protest, such as the public posting of stickers.”
“Four Storms, Ten Days” © Noel Celis, Associated Press. Winner, Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Stories
“A man wades through a street flooded by heavy rains from Typhoon Toraij. Four consecutive cyclones, three of which developed into typhoons, hit the Philippines in a matter of days in late October and early November 2024. Tropical Storm Trami, followed by Typhoons Yinxing, Toraji, and Usagi left a trail of destruction, mostly in the northern Luzon region. A Philippine Climate Change Assessment Cycle report points to a 210% increase in typhoons hitting the Philippines since 2012, and other studies indicate that the climate crisis is intensifying extreme rainfall and flooding worldwide.”
“It Smells of Smoke at Home” © Aliona Kardash, DOCKS Collective, for Stern Magazine. Winner, Europe, Long-Term Project
“Footage from a drone attack on a Ukrainian target is displayed alongside trophies from the front, in an exhibition at a Tomsk local history museum.
Russia’s de facto ban on critical media and suppression of anti-war protests has created an alternative reality with its own take on what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine instead of a full-scale invasion. In this story, Aliona Kardash, Russian-born, but now resident in Germany, reflects on the loss of home, and on love for people who believe in a different version of reality. Making a return visit to her hometown, Aliona tries to capture how war transforms us, and to sustain the belief that personal bonds are stronger than the forces that tear us apart.”
“Crisis in Haiti” © Clarens Siffroy, Agence France-Presse. Winner, North and Central America, Stories
“Residents flee gang violence in their neighborhood. According to the United Nations, thousands of Port-au-Prince residents were killed and more than a million were displaced in 2024. Haiti is suffering from an unprecedented surge in gang violence. Since President Moïse was assassinated in 2021, armed gangs have proliferated and violence has intensified. Around 300 criminal groups are active in the country, controlling a territory inhabited by 2.7 million Haitians. Gang violence, reaching levels comparable to war zones, includes killings, disappearances, torture, arson, and systematic sexual violence, notably against women and children. This crisis is deeply rooted in Haiti’s colonial past, slavery, and the crippling independence debt imposed by France, which fueled long-term inequalities. This project, photographed by a resident of Port-au-Prince, captures the human elements behind the statistics of the ongoing crisis.”
“We live in a time when it is easier than ever to look away, to scroll past, to disengage. But these images do not let us do that.”
“Women’s Bodies as Battlefields” © Cinzia Canneri, Association Camille Lepage. Winner, Africa, Long-Term Projects
“Zayid (23, not her real name) shows a scar left by a bullet. Zayid was raped at a refugee camp in Amhara. When fleeing to Addis Ababa with her family, she and her sister were shot and wounded by Amhara soldiers. In 2017, Cinzia Canneri began documenting the experiences of Eritrean women fleeing Eritrea’s repressive government. Since the outbreak of war in the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia in 2020, her scope has expanded to include the stories of Tigrayan women fleeing from armed invasion. Both groups have been the targets of systematic sexual violence – rape, shooting, torture – that, due to social stigma, limited health facilities, and journalistic access, remains insufficiently reported by news media. By amplifying the stories and voices of the survivors, this project reimagines the idea of resilience as a complex collaborative challenge against pain, trauma, and loss.”
“Mika” © Prins de Vos, Queer Gallery. Winner, Europe, Singles
“Mika (21) has been waiting for 22 months for a first consultation at a gender clinic. Meanwhile, he has personally covered the costs of top surgery and hormone treatment. He finally had his first consultation in May 2024. Prolonged waits for first appointments for gender affirmation (supporting a person in being able to live as the gender they identify with) are a reality both in the Netherlands and globally. The toll on non-binary and trans people’s well-being can be profound, causing frustration, isolation, and despair. The photographer aims to highlight these issues, foster a greater understanding of the impact waiting has on people’s lives, and to encourage a more inclusive and compassionate approach to gender-affirming care.”
“Underground Field Hospital” © Nanna Heitmann, Magnum Photos. Winner, Europe, Singles
“A soldier injured near the city of Bakhmut, lies in a field hospital set up in an underground winery. His left leg and arm were later amputated. The soldier was conscripted to fight for the Russian-backed, separatist “republic” of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on 22 February 2022, two days before the full-scale Russian invasion of the country. Later, Russia unilaterally annexed the territory, and the militia that conscripted him was merged into a unit of the Russian army. Russia has occupied vast swathes of eastern Ukraine, and the city of Bakhmut has seen some of the bloodiest battles of the war.”
“Jaidë” © Santiago Mesa. Winner, South America, Stories
“María Camila, Luisa, and Noraisi Birry stand by the grave of their sister Yadira, while wearing the paruma shawls Yadira left behind. Yadira Birry (16) took her own life with a paruma on 7 April 2023. The Emberá Dobida are a nomadic indigenous people of Colombia who historically have inhabited an area around the Bojayá River. Many Emberá have migrated to Bogotá, fleeing conflict among Colombia’s paramilitary forces and searching for safety and opportunity. In the capital, they face discrimination and marginalization, living in overcrowded and unsafe conditions. Suicides in the Emberá community have sharply increased, from 15 cases between 2015 and 2020 to 67 suicides and over 400 attempts by 2024, according to the Church of Bellavista in Bojayá. This project follows the lives of Emberá women impacted by the crisis, bringing attention and empathy to a harsh reality.”
“Night Crossing” © John Moore, Getty Images. Winner, North and Central America, Singles
“Chinese migrants warm themselves during a cold rain after crossing the US–Mexico border. Unauthorized immigration from China to the US has increased dramatically in recent years due to a host of factors, including China’s struggling economy and financial losses after strict zero-COVID policies. Moreover, people are being influenced by video tutorials on how to get across the border, shown on Chinese social media platforms. This image, both otherworldly and intimate, depicts the complex realities of migration at the border, which is often flattened and politicized in public discourse in the United States.”
Stay tuned for the April 17 announcement of the World Press Photo of the Year.
“Te Urewera – The Living Ancestor of Tūhoe People” © Tatsiana Chypsanava, Pulitzer Center, New Zealand Geographic. Winner, Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Long-Term Projects
“Teepa children share a watermelon. John Rangikapua Teepa and his wife Carol have raised more than 20 children adopted according to the Māori whāngai custom, to strengthen traditions and family ties. Recent changes by New Zealand’s right-wing government are seen as reversals of such hard-fought progressive policies regarding indigenous peoples. Yet the Tataiwhetu Trust farm in Te Urewera offers a revitalizing model for a younger generation.”
“Paths of Desperate Hope” © Federico Ríos. Winner, South America, Long-Term Projects
“Luis Miguel Arias (28) takes a break with his daughter Melissa (4) as they climb a hill. They are from Venezuela and joined the over 250,000 migrants who traversed the gap in 2022. This project documents the perilous journeys of migrants traversing the Darién Gap, a 100-kilometer long stretch of dense jungle connecting Colombia and Panama. Over a million people have braved this route since 2021. They hail from diverse nations – Afghans escaping Taliban rule, Venezuelans seeking refuge from economic collapse, Chinese fleeing authoritarianism, and many others – driven by the pursuit of a better life. Their stories are full of danger: treacherous rivers, unforgiving terrain, and the constant threat of violence and exploitation. Many never make it. Those who succeed find themselves only at the beginning of a different and difficult journey through Central America and Mexico to the United States.”
“Mother Moves, House Approves” © Temiloluwa Johnson. Winner, Africa, Singles.
“Participants at ‘Heavenly Bodies,’ an underground drag ballroom event during Lagos Pride, celebrate the “mother of the year” winner. Members of the LGBTQI+ community in Nigeria face legal prosecution, widespread social discrimination, and physical violence. Held in a secret location, “Heavenly Bodies: Notes on Fola Francis” was the third edition of the Pride celebration in Lagos ballroom, one of the largest drag ballroom experiences in Nigeria. The 2024 series was named after the late Fola Francis, a trans icon, activist, and first openly transgender person to walk the runway during Lagos Fashion Week. Despite all risks, the event was an electrifying experience, providing a vibrant space for celebration of love and free self-expression.”
“Life and Death in a Country Without Constitutional Rights” © Carlos Barrera, El Faro, NPR. Winner, North and Central America, Long-Term Projects
“Cecilia Abrego holds a T-shirt with photographs of her sons, who were detained and imprisoned in May 2022. Cecilia has cancer and must find money to send to her sons and for her own treatment. In 2022, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and its legislative assembly passed a law declaring a “state of emergency” that limited the rights of El Salvadorans to freedom of assembly, privacy of communication, and due process under the law. This temporary measure, designed to curb gang violence responsible for El Savador’s high murder rate, has been renewed 35 times as of March 2025, turning El Salvador into a nation where mass incarceration is the norm. Prisons in El Salvador have become severely overcrowded and reports of inhumane treatment, poor medical care, violence, and murder are common. This project focuses on the stories of individuals and affected families to show the private struggles behind public policy.”
“Bullets Have No Borders” © Ebrahim Alipoor. Winner, West, Central, and South Asia, Long-Term Projects
“Some goods kolbars carry across the border are freely available in Iran, but fuel a thriving black market in the region that avoids import duties. Kolbars (border couriers) carry goods, such as household appliances, mobile phones, and clothes, on their backs through treacherous terrain from Iraq and Turkey into Iranian Kurdistan. The Iranian government bans import of many such goods to protect local production and save foreign currency in the face of Western sanctions. Decades-long marginalization of Kurds means widespread unemployment in the region, driving many to kolbari. In addition, many kolbars see the activity as legitimate, as they feel ties with fellow Kurds across nation-state borders they do not acknowledge. However, kolbars risk being shot by security forces and border patrols.”