World Press Photo 2026

  Fotografia, Rassegna Stampa
image_pdfimage_print

The World Press Photo Contest 2026 once again confirms its role as one of the most important platforms for contemporary visual storytelling, unveiling an edition deeply rooted in urgency, humanity, and political reality.

At the center of this year’s announcement is the Photo of the Year, awarded to Carol Guzy for her image “Separated by ICE”, produced for the Miami Herald. It’s a photograph that doesn’t attempt to aestheticize suffering, but rather confronts it head-on — raw, immediate, and impossible to ignore.

Captured inside the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York, one of the few US federal spaces where photographers were granted access, the image shows a devastating moment: a family torn apart by immigration enforcement. Luis, an Ecuadorian migrant with no criminal record according to his family, is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents immediately after a court hearing. Behind him, his wife and children collapse into a moment of shock that feels suspended in time.

Title: ICE Arrests at New York Court Credit: © Carol Guzy, ZUMA Press, iWitness, for Miami Herald Caption: ​​Distraught girls cling to their father, Luis, as ICE detains him following an immigration hearing. Luis served as the sole breadwinner for his family. New York City, New York, United States, 26 August 2025. Story: In 2025, shifts in US immigration policy transformed courthouses into focal points for mass deportation efforts by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Masked ICE agents detained undocumented migrants immediately following their hearings, often leading to deeply traumatic family separations. These aggressive tactics, coupled with severely overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at the 10th-floor holding facility in the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York, prompted fierce public protests, class-action lawsuits, and the arrest of local elected officials demanding accountability.

This is not just a single story. It’s a visual testimony of a systemic policy — one that targets individuals complying with legal procedures. Guzy’s work transforms a bureaucratic corridor into a stage of human fracture, where justice and trauma collide.

In her own words, the recognition highlights “the suffering of countless families, but also their dignity and resilience.” It’s a reminder that photojournalism, at its core, is not about spectacle — it’s about witnessing.

  • Title: Sudan’s War: A Nation Trapped Credit: © Abdulmonam Eassa, for Le Monde Caption: A group of soldiers passes through a damaged market in Sudan’s second most populous city, a site of continuous fighting since April 2023. Omdurman, Sudan, 25 October 2024. Story: After a 2019 revolution overthrew decades of dictatorship, Sudan’s democratic hopes were crushed by a military coup in 2021. Two years later, the army and paramilitary forces turned on each other, beginning a war that has spiraled into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. As famine spreads and essential services collapse, foreign powers continue to fuel the conflict with weapons. Over 13 million people have been displaced, and at least 150,000 killed. The UN reports that civilian killings more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Zhizhi with her father, Wu Jingzhou, at kindergarten. The couple’s decision to have children in their 60s sparked debates online over the ethics and responsibilities of elderly parenthood. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 7 September 2013. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Abdelrahman (42) speaks with his lawyer after winning his two lawsuits. He received 200,000 Egyptian pounds (about €3,640) in compensation after years of illness and legal struggle. Alexandria, Egypt, 11 December 2025. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Amal holds an X-ray of her lungs. She moved to Moon Valley at three years old and developed asthma within months. Alexandria, Egypt, 31 January 2018. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Sheng Hailin prepares for delivery at a hospital in Hefei. At 60 years old and over seven months pregnant, she faced pain, hemorrhaging, and other physical hardships to bring her twin daughters into the world. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 25 May 2010. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Sudan’s War: A Nation Trapped Credit: © Abdulmonam Eassa, for Le Monde Caption: Alhaja Abdallah, a displaced woman from Bara, shows her scars from a fire at Al-Mohad camp. Paramilitary forces have set multiple displacement camps ablaze. El-Obeid, Sudan, 10 December 2025 Story: After a 2019 revolution overthrew decades of dictatorship, Sudan’s democratic hopes were crushed by a military coup in 2021. Two years later, the army and paramilitary forces turned on each other, beginning a war that has spiraled into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. As famine spreads and essential services collapse, foreign powers continue to fuel the conflict with weapons. Over 13 million people have been displaced, and at least 150,000 killed. The UN reports that civilian killings more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year.
  • Title: Sudan’s War: A Nation Trapped Credit: © Abdulmonam Eassa, for Le Monde Caption: Students take exams at the war-damaged Omdurman Islamic University. Schools and universities have been attacked and mostly closed since fighting began. Omdurman, Sudan, 4 December 2025. Story: After a 2019 revolution overthrew decades of dictatorship, Sudan’s democratic hopes were crushed by a military coup in 2021. Two years later, the army and paramilitary forces turned on each other, beginning a war that has spiraled into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. As famine spreads and essential services collapse, foreign powers continue to fuel the conflict with weapons. Over 13 million people have been displaced, and at least 150,000 killed. The UN reports that civilian killings more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year.
  • Title: Sudan’s War: A Nation Trapped Credit: © Abdulmonam Eassa, for Le Monde Caption: A soldier descends from a building as fighting continues. Frontline images like this are rare, due to heavily restricted access for journalists. Omdurman, Sudan, 1 November 2024. Story: After a 2019 revolution overthrew decades of dictatorship, Sudan’s democratic hopes were crushed by a military coup in 2021. Two years later, the army and paramilitary forces turned on each other, beginning a war that has spiraled into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. As famine spreads and essential services collapse, foreign powers continue to fuel the conflict with weapons. Over 13 million people have been displaced, and at least 150,000 killed. The UN reports that civilian killings more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year.
  • Title: Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters Credit: © Chantal Pinzi, Panos Pictures Caption: Ghita Jhiate manages her unruly stallion. Long forbidden by her father to participate in Tbourida, she finally realized her dream of riding alongside pioneer Zahia Aboulait in 2025. Sidi Rahal, Morocco, 6 August 2025. Story: Tbourida is a UNESCO-recognized Moroccan equestrian tradition dating back to the 16th century. Troupes gallop in unison, firing rifles in a choreographed performance of cavalry warfare. Historically excluded, female riders have fought for inclusion since Morocco’s 2004 family code reforms strengthened women’s legal rights. Today, seven all-female troupes now ride among some 300. These farīsāt (horsewomen) bear significant personal costs, funding their own horses, costumes, and gunpowder permits. Their perseverance stands as a powerful claim to women’s rightful place in Moroccan cultural heritage.
  • Title: The Trials of the Achi Women Credit: © Victor J. Blue, for The New York Times Magazine Caption: ​​Doña Paulina Ixpatá Alvarado stands with other Achi women outside a Guatemala City court. That afternoon, three ex-civil defense patrollers were found guilty of rape and crimes against humanity and sentenced to 40 years in prison each. Guatemala City, Guatemala, 30 May 2025. Story: For four decades, a group of Indigenous Maya Achi women in Rabinal lived in the same communities as the men who had raped them, sometimes as neighbors. Guatemala’s civil war led to the genocide of thousands of Maya Achi people by the military and local state-backed paramilitary forces, who used sexual violence as a systematic weapon to subjugate Indigenous communities. In 2011, 36 women broke their silence, launching and winning a 14-year legal battle against their abusers. Their collective resilience is transforming a legacy of wartime impunity into a historic victory for justice.
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Ahmed (now 20) and Saaed. They won their lawsuit after years of legal battles – a rare victory and the first environmental case won in Egyptian courts. Alexandria, Egypt, 13 December 2025. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Ahmed (11), photographed with his father Saeed, was born with asthma and uses a ventilator three times a day. He plays goalkeeper in football as it requires less physical strain. Alexandria, Egypt, 31 January 2017. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Returning from a work trip, Sheng Hailin is greeted by her daughter, Huihui. To support her young family, the retired doctor went back to work, traveling across China giving lectures on health. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 5 March 2012. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Sheng Hailin presents her daughters with flowers after completing their high school entrance exams. At 75, Sheng Hailin continues to document her life online to support her family’s future. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 16 June 2025. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Zhizhi and Huihui attend dance training. The cost of the girls’ education and extracurricular activities placed a significant financial burden on the aging family. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 23 May 2021. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters Credit: © Chantal Pinzi, Panos Pictures Caption: A Tbourida festival where only one of the performing troupes was made up of women. Sidi Rahal, Morocco, 8 August 2025. Story: Tbourida is a UNESCO-recognized Moroccan equestrian tradition dating back to the 16th century. Troupes gallop in unison, firing rifles in a choreographed performance of cavalry warfare. Historically excluded, female riders have fought for inclusion since Morocco’s 2004 family code reforms strengthened women’s legal rights. Today, seven all-female troupes now ride among some 300. These farīsāt (horsewomen) bear significant personal costs, funding their own horses, costumes, and gunpowder permits. Their perseverance stands as a powerful claim to women’s rightful place in Moroccan cultural heritage.
  • Title: Extramuros Credit: © William Keo, La Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Die Zeit Caption: Young men gather on a rooftop in the Briques Rouges, one of Verneuil-sur-Seine’s largest social housing projects. France, 21 July 2023. Story: In the peripheral neighborhoods of France’s banlieues, migrant families navigate postcolonial legacies, higher rates of unemployment, and structural inequality. France’s integration system requires migrants to culturally assimilate while prejudice persists, leaving communities caught between exclusion and belonging. Yet these communities are also spaces of creativity and resilience that shape contemporary French culture. Documenting his friends and family, the photographer – born to Cambodian refugees – portrays lives in which community and solidarity are the clearest markers of identity.
  • Title: Extramuros Credit: © William Keo, La Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Die Zeit Caption: Younes and Sandra embrace in a car close to Villepinte. Seine-Saint-Denis, France, 18 April 2024. Story: In the peripheral neighborhoods of France’s banlieues, migrant families navigate postcolonial legacies, higher rates of unemployment, and structural inequality. France’s integration system requires migrants to culturally assimilate while prejudice persists, leaving communities caught between exclusion and belonging. Yet these communities are also spaces of creativity and resilience that shape contemporary French culture. Documenting his friends and family, the photographer – born to Cambodian refugees – portrays lives in which community and solidarity are the clearest markers of identity.
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Abdelrahman prepares to have fluid removed from his lungs. Funds for his treatment were raised through this project. Alexandria, Egypt, 9 January 2018. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Name the Absence Credit: © Ferley A. Ospina Caption: Valeria (5) plays behind a curtain at her aunt’s house. She is raised solely by her mother. In her region, 30% of households are headed exclusively by women. 10 September 2025 in Los Patios, Norte de Santander, Colombia. Story: Colombia has the world’s highest rate of single mothers. The photographer and his family experience this reality not as a statistic but as a “recurring wound.” In 1999, Ferley Ospina’s father was murdered in the border region of Norte de Santander, forcing him to flee with his mother. Photographing the women in his extended family, Ospina seeks to understand the “weight of absence” and the systemic and personal impact of “growing up incomplete.”
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Awady, who was born with asthma, raises pigeons as a hobby. “Every day, I am afraid I won’t be able to play football again,” he says. Alexandria, Egypt, 14 February 2018. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Tanner’s Song Credit: © Jahi Chikwendiu, The Washington Post Caption: Shay and Tanner view sonogram images of their daughter during a prenatal checkup. Tanner’s one last wish was to fight cancer long enough to see his baby. Provo, Utah, United States, 15 April 2025. Story: Diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer at age 25, Tanner Martin and his wife, Shay, raced to build a family despite a terminal prognosis. This intimate story documents the final months of Tanner’s life, culminating in the birth of his daughter, AmyLou, just 41 days before his death at age 30. His experience puts a human face on a staggering global trend: people born in 1990 now face a 200 to 300% increased risk of some early-onset cancers compared to previous generations.
  • Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins Credit: © Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc Caption: Former land applicator Alfredo Cerán shows his burned fingernails. After years of mixing chemical products without adequate protection, he developed non-alcoholic cirrhosis and underwent a liver transplant. Cordoba, Argentina, 23 September 2015. Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina’s cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Dust on the floor of a Moon Valley home. If windows are left open for just half an hour, nearly one centimeter of dust accumulates. Alexandria, Egypt, 18 March 2018. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Zhizhi and Huihui celebrate their 15th birthday. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 12 June 2025. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Sheng Hailin combs her daughters’ hair before school. As the girls grew, Sheng Hailin faced the increasing challenge of managing their daily needs while navigating her own diminishing physical capabilities. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 21 May 2018. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Witnessing Gaza Credit: © Saher Alghorra, for The New York Times Caption: Palestinians at Al-Mawasi displacement camp wait for a meal. Local charity kitchens were one of the only food sources for many of Gaza’s displaced. Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, 21 September 2025 Story: In 2025, civilians in Gaza endured starvation, famine, and relentless bombardment as the death toll surpassed 75,000 and Israeli authorities severely restricted the flow of humanitarian aid. A ceasefire agreement in October has yet to bring meaningful relief. Palestinian journalists – living through the reality they document – are the world’s few witnesses to what a UN Commission has concluded is a genocide. Israel disputes this. The photographer worked under immense danger, driven by a refusal to let the world turn away. “Even when everything around me told me to stop, I couldn’t – silence would mean surrender.”
  • Title: Children Who Do Not Exist Credit: © Kiana Hayeri, for The New York Times Caption: Edith Magomere Ingasiani and her daughter Blessings Iminza (9), at their home. Blessings was born in Saudi Arabia without a birth certificate. Vihiga County, Kenya, 30 August 2025. Story: Tens of thousands of Kenyan women migrate to Saudi Arabia for domestic work, where many endure abusive conditions, including passport confiscation and withheld wages. While working there, Edith Magomere Ingasiani hid her pregnancy; unmarried women who give birth risk arrest. She delivered her daughter Blessings alone in January 2016, raising her in the shadows for years. When Edith tried to return home to Kenya, Blessings’ lack of documents trapped them in bureaucratic limbo. In 2024, they finally made it back. “Home is always the answer,” she says. “It took eight years to get there.”
  • Title: Engla Louise Credit: © Sanna Sjöswärd, for Corren Caption: Engla Louise’s “bed ballet” – movements performed lying down – keeps her connection to dance alive. Every day at a specific time, she watches ballet on her iPad. Linköping, Sweden, 22 December 2025. Story: Engla Louise, a former dancer, has lived with severe anorexia nervosa since she was ten years old. At 46, she weighs less than 25 kilograms and has been tube-fed since 2019. Researchers increasingly describe anorexia as a disease of both body and mind. Its causes – not fully understood – are thought to involve neurobiological, genetic, and environmental factors. After decades of treatment, Engla Louise is now considered therapy-resistant and receives palliative care at home. This project aims to broaden the discussion about care for people living with severe eating disorders.
  • Title: Hijacked Education Credit: © Diego Ibarra Sánchez Caption: Nora Nancy, a teacher, photographed at her school in Samaniego. In 2008, four teachers were murdered by FARC rebel forces in nearby Guachavez, forcing her to flee her home. Colombia, 25 July 2016 Story: Across the world, war, extremism, and displacement deny children the right to education. Schools are destroyed, teachers killed or forced to relocate, textbooks burned, and classrooms turned into barracks. The UN estimates that 85 million of the 234 million school-age children affected by conflict worldwide have no access to education at all. The consequences extend far beyond the classroom, impacting physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. Since 2011, the photographer – son of a teacher and father of an 11-year-old – has documented this crisis across nine countries, from Western and South Asia, to Europe and South America.
  • Title: Burned Land Credit: © Brais Lorenzo, EFE, Revista 5W, El País Caption: The Larouco wildfire, the worst in Galicia’s recorded history, burns through the night as flames reach O Courel – a mountain range of great biodiversity. Sierra de O Courel, Galicia, Spain, 19 August 2025. Story: 2025 was a record year for wildfires in Europe. More than 200,000 hectares burned across Galicia during Spain’s worst fire season in about three decades. The increasingly severe fires in this region are attributed to drought and heat intensified by climate change, rural depopulation, and shortsighted forest management policies, including the widespread planting of highly flammable non-native species. Born in Ourense, the photographer grew up with the smell of smoke every summer and has documented Galician wildfires since 2011.
  • Title: Burned Land Credit: © Brais Lorenzo, EFE, Revista 5W, El País Caption: A man fights a wildfire with a branch in Cualedro. When resources are stretched, residents use whatever is available to extinguish flames, including branches, farming tools, and water hoses. Ourense, Galicia, Spain, 15 August 2025. Story: 2025 was a record year for wildfires in Europe. More than 200,000 hectares burned across Galicia during Spain’s worst fire season in about three decades. The increasingly severe fires in this region are attributed to drought and heat intensified by climate change, rural depopulation, and shortsighted forest management policies, including the widespread planting of highly flammable non-native species. Born in Ourense, the photographer grew up with the smell of smoke every summer and has documented Galician wildfires since 2011.
  • Title: Engla Louise Credit: © Sanna Sjöswärd, for Corren Caption: An assistant helps Engla Louise drink through a straw. She previously had daily visits from nurses; now her care relies on a special arrangement involving healthcare services and the municipality. Linköping, Sweden, 2 May 2025. Story: Engla Louise, a former dancer, has lived with severe anorexia nervosa since she was ten years old. At 46, she weighs less than 25 kilograms and has been tube-fed since 2019. Researchers increasingly describe anorexia as a disease of both body and mind. Its causes – not fully understood – are thought to involve neurobiological, genetic, and environmental factors. After decades of treatment, Engla Louise is now considered therapy-resistant and receives palliative care at home. This project aims to broaden the discussion about care for people living with severe eating disorders.
  • Title: Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters Credit: © Chantal Pinzi, Panos Pictures Caption: Noura attempts to control her horse after firing, the most dangerous part of the performance. Riders risk injury from gunpowder or falling and being trampled. Sidi Rahal, Morocco, 8 August 2025. Story: Tbourida is a UNESCO-recognized Moroccan equestrian tradition dating back to the 16th century. Troupes gallop in unison, firing rifles in a choreographed performance of cavalry warfare. Historically excluded, female riders have fought for inclusion since Morocco’s 2004 family code reforms strengthened women’s legal rights. Today, seven all-female troupes now ride among some 300. These farīsāt (horsewomen) bear significant personal costs, funding their own horses, costumes, and gunpowder permits. Their perseverance stands as a powerful claim to women’s rightful place in Moroccan cultural heritage.
  • Title: Madagascar’s Gen Z Protests Credit: © Luis Tato, Agence France-Presse Caption: A student holds the flag adopted by Gen Z protesters globally. The symbol comes from the Japanese manga One Piece, in which pirates stand up to corrupt rulers. Antananarivo, Madagascar, 9 October 2025. Story: In September 2025, students began protesting across Madagascar over failing public services, corruption, and economic hardship. When President Andry Rajoelina dissolved his government but refused to resign, demonstrations intensified. On 11 October, the CAPSAT military unit defected to join the protesters, the same force that had installed Rajoelina in a 2009 coup. Days later, the military seized power, promising elections within two years. In a pattern seen across Gen Z uprisings in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bulgaria, Madagascar’s youth forced regime change, but were excluded from shaping the political transition that followed.
  • Title: Motherhood at 60 Credit: © Wu Fang Caption: Zhizhi and Huihui carry their father’s portrait during his funeral procession. Wu Jingzhou passed away in late 2022, leaving the 72-year-old Sheng Hailin to raise their teenage daughters alone. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 8 December 2022. Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailing’s family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China’s one-child policy era.
  • Title: Mexico, A Changing Climate Credit: © César Rodríguez, Norwegian Red Cross, SNCA, The New York Times Caption: A forest fire burns on Cerro de San Juan. Fueled by drought, the fires consumed over 950 hectares, threatening the biodiversity of the Nayarit highlands. Tepic, Mexico, 17 April 2023. Story: Mexico is especially vulnerable to climate extremes, with 52% of its territory situated in arid or semi-arid zones. Over the last two decades, environmental disasters have internally displaced approximately 2.7 million people, a figure projected to reach up to 8 million by 2050. This project documents the enormous cost of these changes on a human scale: from the rapid erosion of Tabasco’s coastlines, where sea levels are rising three times faster than the global average, to the systemic water scarcities in Monterrey and the State of Mexico, where renewable water availability has plummeted by 81% since 1950.
  • Title: Tanner’s Song Credit: © Jahi Chikwendiu, The Washington Post Caption: Tanner cradles AmyLou two days after her birth. Too weak to stand, Tanner held his daughter on his lap while Shay filmed a father-daughter dance for their daughter’s future wedding. American Fork, Utah, United States, 17 May 2025. Story: Diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer at age 25, Tanner Martin and his wife, Shay, raced to build a family despite a terminal prognosis. This intimate story documents the final months of Tanner’s life, culminating in the birth of his daughter, AmyLou, just 41 days before his death at age 30. His experience puts a human face on a staggering global trend: people born in 1990 now face a 200 to 300% increased risk of some early-onset cancers compared to previous generations.
  • Title: Aid Emergency in Gaza Credit: © Saber Nuraldin, EPA Images Caption: Palestinians climb onto an aid truck as it enters the Gaza Strip via the Zikim Crossing in an attempt to get flour, during what the Israeli military called a “tactical suspension” in operations to allow humanitarian aid through. 27 July 2025. Story: In 2025, famine took hold amid what a UN Commission has concluded is a genocide in Gaza, which Israel disputes. Israeli authorities imposed a complete aid blockade in March, a tactic described by humanitarian organizations as the weaponization of starvation. The UN reports that between 27 May and 31 July at least 1,373 Palestinians seeking food were killed at or near aid distribution sites. Despite a ceasefire agreement in October, more than 75% of the population still face hunger and malnutrition. The photographer was born in Gaza and has documented life there since 1997.
  • Title: The Trials of the Achi Women Credit: © Victor J. Blue, for The New York Times Magazine Caption: ​​Doña Paulina Ixpatá Alvarado stands with other Achi women outside a Guatemala City court. That afternoon, three ex-civil defense patrollers were found guilty of rape and crimes against humanity and sentenced to 40 years in prison each. Guatemala City, Guatemala, 30 May 2025. Story: For four decades, a group of Indigenous Maya Achi women in Rabinal lived in the same communities as the men who had raped them, sometimes as neighbors. Guatemala’s civil war led to the genocide of thousands of Maya Achi people by the military and local state-backed paramilitary forces, who used sexual violence as a systematic weapon to subjugate Indigenous communities. In 2011, 36 women broke their silence, launching and winning a 14-year legal battle against their abusers. Their collective resilience is transforming a legacy of wartime impunity into a historic victory for justice.
  • Title: Name the Absence Credit: © Ferley A. Ospina Caption: María (20), the photographer’s cousin, watches television with her grandmother, Orfelina. In Ospina’s family, there are 12 women, including mothers, sisters, and daughters, but only three adult men. 9 December 2025 in Los Patios, Norte de Santander, Colombia. Story: Colombia has the world’s highest rate of single mothers. The photographer and his family experience this reality not as a statistic but as a “recurring wound.” In 1999, Ferley Ospina’s father was murdered in the border region of Norte de Santander, forcing him to flee with his mother. Photographing the women in his extended family, Ospina seeks to understand the “weight of absence” and the systemic and personal impact of “growing up incomplete.”
  • Title: Mexico, A Changing Climate Credit: © César Rodríguez, Norwegian Red Cross, SNCA, The New York Times Caption: A child runs up to the second floor of a partially submerged home. The 2024 floods affected 7,000 residents. Many families lost personal belongings like photographs and other cherished items. Chalco, State of Mexico, Mexico, 19 August 2024. Story: Mexico is especially vulnerable to climate extremes, with 52% of its territory situated in arid or semi-arid zones. Over the last two decades, environmental disasters have internally displaced approximately 2.7 million people, a figure projected to reach up to 8 million by 2050. This project documents the enormous cost of these changes on a human scale: from the rapid erosion of Tabasco’s coastlines, where sea levels are rising three times faster than the global average, to the systemic water scarcities in Monterrey and the State of Mexico, where renewable water availability has plummeted by 81% since 1950.
  • Title: Madagascar’s Gen Z Protests Credit: © Luis Tato, Agence France-Presse Caption: Protesters cheer and wave flags outside City Hall as members of the CAPSAT military unit ride on an armored vehicle. Antananarivo, Madagascar, 11 October 2025. Story: In September 2025, students began protesting across Madagascar over failing public services, corruption, and economic hardship. When President Andry Rajoelina dissolved his government but refused to resign, demonstrations intensified. On 11 October, the CAPSAT military unit defected to join the protesters, the same force that had installed Rajoelina in a 2009 coup. Days later, the military seized power, promising elections within two years. In a pattern seen across Gen Z uprisings in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bulgaria, Madagascar’s youth forced regime change, but were excluded from shaping the political transition that followed.
  • Title: Mexico, A Changing Climate Credit: © César Rodríguez, Norwegian Red Cross, SNCA, The New York Times Caption: A tourist boat sits grounded after the La Boca dam dropped to 8.5% capacity during the 2022 drought. Monterrey remains caught between extreme water scarcity and catastrophic, climate-driven flooding. Santiago, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 20 June 2022. Story: Mexico is especially vulnerable to climate extremes, with 52% of its territory situated in arid or semi-arid zones. Over the last two decades, environmental disasters have internally displaced approximately 2.7 million people, a figure projected to reach up to 8 million by 2050. This project documents the enormous cost of these changes on a human scale: from the rapid erosion of Tabasco’s coastlines, where sea levels are rising three times faster than the global average, to the systemic water scarcities in Monterrey and the State of Mexico, where renewable water availability has plummeted by 81% since 1950.
  • Title: A Desperate Plea Credit: © Tyrone Siu, Reuters Caption: Mr Wong cries out in anguish as fire engulfs the Tai Po housing complex he calls home. Moments earlier, he phoned his wife, who was trapped in the building, and they exchanged what would be their final words. Hong Kong, 26 November 2025. Story: A massive fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po claimed 168 lives, becoming Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1948. While no official cause has been reported, investigations by Hong Kong authorities found that bamboo scaffolding, construction netting, and flammable Styrofoam boards on windows acted as accelerants for the fire, trapping residents inside. More than 2,000 firefighters were involved in rescue efforts, killing one and injuring twelve.
  • Title: Drone Wars Credit: © David Guttenfelder, The New York Times Caption: A Ukrainian soldier, known by the call sign “Ara,” uses his partially amputated arm to steady a drone being fitted with a grenade. Wounded in 2022, he now trains recruits in drone operations. Donetsk region, Ukraine, 5 August 2024. Story: Ukraine’s battle against the Russian invasion is reshaping modern combat. Hobby drones are being repurposed into remote-controlled weapons, and mass-produced first-person-view (FPV) drones are piloted from kilometers away with deadly precision. These developments have triggered an unrelenting drone arms race and turned vast areas of Ukraine into “kill zones”. Civilians are targeted and displaced, and soldiers spend most of their time in underground bunkers or basements, unable to be resupplied or casualty-evacuated. This story documents Ukraine’s efforts to advance its drone capabilities, and the impact of Russian drone attacks on civilians.
  • Title: Burned Land Credit: © Brais Lorenzo, EFE, Revista 5W, El País Caption: Two women run with a bucket of water to help fight a wildfire in Carballeda de Avia. Ourense, Galicia, Spain, 17 August 2025 Story: 2025 was a record year for wildfires in Europe. More than 200,000 hectares burned across Galicia during Spain’s worst fire season in about three decades. The increasingly severe fires in this region are attributed to drought and heat intensified by climate change, rural depopulation, and shortsighted forest management policies, including the widespread planting of highly flammable non-native species. Born in Ourense, the photographer grew up with the smell of smoke every summer and has documented Galician wildfires since 2011.
  • Title: Emma the Social Robot Credit: © Paula Hornickel Caption: Waltraud talks with Emma, a social robot that recognizes faces and remembers past conversations. Though skeptical at first, Waltraud says she felt connected to Emma over time.
    Albershausen, Germany, 3 July 2025. Story: Germany’s care homes are facing two crises: staff shortages and loneliness. A 2023 study found that one in five residents aged 80 and older describe themselves as “severely lonely.” This reality has prompted trials of social robots like Emma, developed by a Munich-based startup. Waltraud, a resident of Haus im Wiesengrund in Albershausen, had her doubts but over time formed a bond with Emma. “When she tells her jokes, that’s really good. That’s my kind of humor,” says Waltraud, though she emphasizes that human contact is always preferable.
  • Title: Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters Credit: © Chantal Pinzi, Panos Pictures Caption: A portrait of Bouchra Nabata’s troupe. Her determination as one of Tbourida’s first female riders helped pave the way for the seven all-female troupes that exist today. Rabat, Morocco, 13 August 2025. Story: Tbourida is a UNESCO-recognized Moroccan equestrian tradition dating back to the 16th century. Troupes gallop in unison, firing rifles in a choreographed performance of cavalry warfare. Historically excluded, female riders have fought for inclusion since Morocco’s 2004 family code reforms strengthened women’s legal rights. Today, seven all-female troupes now ride among some 300. These farīsāt (horsewomen) bear significant personal costs, funding their own horses, costumes, and gunpowder permits. Their perseverance stands as a powerful claim to women’s rightful place in Moroccan cultural heritage.
  • Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins Credit: © Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc Caption: Fabián Tomasi, a former agrochemical worker, suffered from severe toxic polyneuropathy and became a global face of the fight against agrotoxins. He passed away in 2018. Entre Ríos, Argentina, 25 October 2016. Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina’s cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.
  • Title: Moon Dust Credit: © Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program Caption: Plastic bags cover windows throughout Moon Valley, a common measure residents take to prevent cement dust from entering their homes. Alexandria, Egypt, 11 December 2025. Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.
  • Title: Wedding in the Flood Credit: © Aaron Favila, Associated Press Caption: Groomsmen and guests wearing barong tagalog, the national dress of the Philippines, stand knee-deep in floodwaters. Local advocates increasingly link flooding to systemic failures in infrastructure and resource management. Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines, 22 July 2025. Story: When Typhoon Wipha hit the Philippines and flooded Barasoain Church, Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar faced a difficult decision: should they cancel their wedding or proceed with the marriage? The couple carried on despite high waters, a testament to love and resilience in the face of severe weather. Located on a delta, Bulacan province is vulnerable to more frequent and extreme floods caused by aging drainage systems, dredging projects, overextraction of groundwater, and climate change.
  • Title: Drone Wars Credit: © David Guttenfelder, The New York Times Caption: A soldier from Ukraine’s 93rd Brigade scans for Russian FPV drones while speeding through Kostyantynivka, a strategic gateway to Ukraine’s last major defensive belt in Donetsk. Kostyantynivka, Ukraine, 19 June 2025. Story: Ukraine’s battle against the Russian invasion is reshaping modern combat. Hobby drones are being repurposed into remote-controlled weapons, and mass-produced first-person-view (FPV) drones are piloted from kilometers away with deadly precision. These developments have triggered an unrelenting drone arms race and turned vast areas of Ukraine into “kill zones”. Civilians are targeted and displaced, and soldiers spend most of their time in underground bunkers or basements, unable to be resupplied or casualty-evacuated. This story documents Ukraine’s efforts to advance its drone capabilities, and the impact of Russian drone attacks on civilians.
  • Title: The Last Dolphin Hunters Credit: © Matthew Abbott, Oculi, for The New York Times Caption: Fanalei Island has been reduced to a narrow strip of sand and coral by rising seas. Residents believe the settlement, once home to dozens of families, will become uninhabitable in the near future. South Malaita, Solomon Islands, 6 February 2025. Story: Fanalei, a low-lying island in the Solomon Islands, stands at a crossroads between contested tradition and a changing economy. For generations, dolphin hunting provided food and income, with dolphin teeth used as ritual currency for bride-price and other forms of local exchange. Today, as rising sea levels displace the community and threaten its future, seaweed farming is providing an economic alternative to the seasonal hunt. As seaweed farming expands, fewer people are available for the collective efforts upon which dolphin hunting depends. This story captures a community reshaped by environmental pressure and shifting traditions.
  • Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins Credit: © Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc Caption: Biologist Rafael Lajmanovich studies deformed frogs; his research finds higher frequencies of animal malformations near agricultural sites that intensively use agrochemicals. Santa Fe, Argentina, 1 October 2025 Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina’s cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.
    .
  • Title: A Territory of Hope Credit: © Priscila Ribeiro Caption: Sandra Mara Siqueira rests with her grandchildren, Micael, Davi, Ana Flávia, and Vitória. Living in the Parque dos Lagos occupation since 2013, the family seeks land regularization to guarantee access to basic infrastructure. Colombo, Paraná, Brazil, 15 November 2025 Story: Millions of Brazilians lack safe and affordable housing, with a national shortage of 5.9 million homes forcing approximately 16.4 million people into informal settlements. In the city of Colombo, the Parque dos Lagos occupation is home to 200 families living without official access to water, sewage disposal, or electricity. This project examines the struggle for land regularization, the legal process of converting informal possession into property rights. For Sandra Mara Siqueira and these communities, legal tenure is the essential gateway to credit, permanence, and dignity.
  • Title: Los Angeles on Fire Credit: © Ethan Swope, for Associated Press Caption: A senior center resident evacuates as the Eaton Fire approaches. Wildfires release massive amounts of toxic particles and carbon monoxide, causing severe respiratory issues that linger for weeks. Altadena, California, United States, 7 January 2025. Story: In January 2025, severe drought and 100-mph (roughly 160-kph) Santa Ana winds fueled 14 devastating wildfires across Los Angeles, destroying over 18,000 buildings and displacing 200,000 residents. While officials reported 31 direct fatalities, public health studies estimate 440 excess deaths linked to toxic smoke and disrupted medical care. In the disaster’s aftermath, a stark wealth divide has defined recovery efforts, with lower-income residents facing displacement while wealthier communities leverage private resources to rebuild.
  • Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins Credit: © Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc Caption: Workers harvest potatoes in Cordoba. Potato cultivation in Argentina is intensive, with official reports indicating that up to 40 different agrochemicals are applied. Cordoba, Argentina, 17 September 2015. Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina’s cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.
  • Title: A Syrian City Rebuilds, Still Divided Credit: © Nicole Tung, VII Photo, for The New York Times Caption: A son of Abdelatif Daham Al Hummada climbs through the kitchen window of the family’s heavily damaged home, stripped of copper wiring, tiles, and fittings by looters. 20 August 2025 in Deir al-Zour, Syria. Story: Long neglected by the Syrian state and one of the first cities to rise up in the 2011 revolution, Deir al-Zour endured years of siege, bombardment, and successive occupation by government forces, ISIS, and Kurdish-led fighters. The conflict left around 75% of the city’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed. In 2025, the Euphrates River marked a divide; the government controlled one bank, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) the other, complicating daily movement, trade, and access to services. For those who remained, and those who returned, rebuilding continued regardless.
  • Title: Portland Protests ICE Credit: © Jan Sonnenmair Caption: ​​Officers from the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies clash with demonstrators outside an ICE processing center. The intense summer protests centered on opposing the administration’s escalating mass-deportation agenda. Portland, Oregon, United States, 24 June 2025. Story: In 2025, the Trump administration shifted its immigration enforcement from the border to the US interior, aiming for 3,000 arrests per day and abandoning protections for schools, hospitals, courthouses, and places of worship. In response, Portland, a “sanctuary city” that prohibits its own state and local law forces to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, became a flashpoint for resistance. During the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations in June, localized protests escalated into nightly clashes outside the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
  • Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins Credit: © Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc Caption: Anita Sosa, born with hydrocephalus and spina bifida, plays with her sister. Doctors attributed her condition to pesticides used in the soybean fields that surround her town of 3,000 inhabitants. Chaco, Argentina, 29 November 2014. Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina’s cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.
  • Title: Tanner’s Song Credit: © Jahi Chikwendiu, The Washington Post Caption: Star Wars stickers, placed by family and friends, cover Tanner’s casket during his viewing. Tanner passed away at the age of 30. American Fork, Utah, United States, 3 July 2025. Story: Diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer at age 25, Tanner Martin and his wife, Shay, raced to build a family despite a terminal prognosis. This intimate story documents the final months of Tanner’s life, culminating in the birth of his daughter, AmyLou, just 41 days before his death at age 30. His experience puts a human face on a staggering global trend: people born in 1990 now face a 200 to 300% increased risk of some early-onset cancers compared to previous generations.
  • Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins Credit: © Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc Caption: Maribella Alexandra Duarte (center) was born with congenital malformations. Her family lives 30 meters from soybean fields; neighbors within a 500-meter radius have recorded 19 cases of terminal cancer in recent years. Entre Ríos, Argentina, 22 November 2014. Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina’s cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.
  • Title: Wedding in the Flood Credit: © Aaron Favila, Associated Press Caption: The newlyweds share a kiss as guests cheer. The couple have been together for ten years. According to Verdillo, “This is just one of the struggles that we’ve overcome.” Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines, 22 July 2025. Story: When Typhoon Wipha hit the Philippines and flooded Barasoain Church, Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar faced a difficult decision: should they cancel their wedding or proceed with the marriage? The couple carried on despite high waters, a testament to love and resilience in the face of severe weather. Located on a delta, Bulacan province is vulnerable to more frequent and extreme floods caused by aging drainage systems, dredging projects, overextraction of groundwater, and climate change.
  • Title: Scam Hub Under Siege Credit: © Jes Aznar, for The New York Times Caption: Photographs and props used to fake online personas and build relationships with victims. Min Let Pan, Myanmar, 5 December 2025. Story: On 21 November 2025, the Karen National Liberation Army captured Shunda Park, a massive cyber-scam compound in Myanmar’s Karen State. As the country’s civil war intensifies, lawless border regions have become hubs for a lucrative online scam industry. Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have been trafficked into Southeast Asia and forced into labor for these illegal enterprises. When rebel forces ousted the junta-allied militia guarding the park, thousands of workers from 30 nations were stranded in Myanmar.
  • Title: Manacillos: A Return to Life Credit: © Ever Andrés Mercado Puentes Caption: Mercedita and others sing traditional songs during a house-to-house tour. Her singing plays an important ritual role, creating a mystical trance that invokes ancestral presences. 30 March 2024 in Juntas, Buenaventura, Colombia. Story: Juntas is an Afro-descendant community deep in the Colombian Pacific rainforest, accessible only by a ten-hour boat journey up the Yurumanguí River. Settled by descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the region in the 1700s, the community faces threats from illegal mining, logging, and armed conflict. Fiesta de los Manacillos is a traditional ritual enacted by the community during Holy Week activities that blends Catholicism with African spiritual traditions. More than just a celebration, the festival is a homecoming for a diaspora, representing a profound affirmation of cultural resilience.
  • Title: The Last Dolphin Hunters Credit: © Matthew Abbott, Oculi, for The New York Times Caption: A young man drags a dolphin toward the shore in Walande. While Fanalei struggled this season, the larger sister community of Walande successfully landed a catch to share across the Surodo Lagoon. Maramasike Island, 11 February 2025. Story: Fanalei, a low-lying island in the Solomon Islands, stands at a crossroads between contested tradition and a changing economy. For generations, dolphin hunting provided food and income, with dolphin teeth used as ritual currency for bride-price and other forms of local exchange. Today, as rising sea levels displace the community and threaten its future, seaweed farming is providing an economic alternative to the seasonal hunt. As seaweed farming expands, fewer people are available for the collective efforts upon which dolphin hunting depends. This story captures a community reshaped by environmental pressure and shifting traditions.
  • Title: Engla Louise Credit: © Sanna Sjöswärd, for Corren Caption: Engla Louise celebrates her 46th birthday on a day trip to Löfstad Castle with her father, Hans Ericsson. “Severely ill anorexia patients do not receive proper care in Sweden,” he says. Norrköping, Sweden, 28 September 2025 Story: Engla Louise, a former dancer, has lived with severe anorexia nervosa since she was ten years old. At 46, she weighs less than 25 kilograms and has been tube-fed since 2019. Researchers increasingly describe anorexia as a disease of both body and mind. Its causes – not fully understood – are thought to involve neurobiological, genetic, and environmental factors. After decades of treatment, Engla Louise is now considered therapy-resistant and receives palliative care at home. This project aims to broaden the discussion about care for people living with severe eating disorders.
  • Title: Mexico, A Changing Climate Credit: © César Rodríguez, Norwegian Red Cross, SNCA, The New York Times Caption: Antonio Mayoral and Guadalupe Cobos pose for a portrait at their home. They are among the last residents of El Bosque. More than 60 families have already relocated inland, losing access to the sea and their traditional fishing livelihoods. El Bosque, Tabasco, Mexico, 13 December 2024. Story: Mexico is especially vulnerable to climate extremes, with 52% of its territory situated in arid or semi-arid zones. Over the last two decades, environmental disasters have internally displaced approximately 2.7 million people, a figure projected to reach up to 8 million by 2050. This project documents the enormous cost of these changes on a human scale: from the rapid erosion of Tabasco’s coastlines, where sea levels are rising three times faster than the global average, to the systemic water scarcities in Monterrey and the State of Mexico, where renewable water availability has plummeted by 81% since 1950.
  • Title: Hijacked Education Credit: © Diego Ibarra Sánchez Caption: A young Syrian refugee attends a class on the outskirts of Arsal. Limited resources, residency issues, and work restrictions on parents deny many refugee children access to education. Lebanon, 31 October 2017 Story: Across the world, war, extremism, and displacement deny children the right to education. Schools are destroyed, teachers killed or forced to relocate, textbooks burned, and classrooms turned into barracks. The UN estimates that 85 million of the 234 million school-age children affected by conflict worldwide have no access to education at all. The consequences extend far beyond the classroom, impacting physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. Since 2011, the photographer – son of a teacher and father of an 11-year-old – has documented this crisis across nine countries, from Western and South Asia, to Europe and South America.
  • Title: Manacillos: A Return to Life Credit: © Ever Andrés Mercado Puentes Caption: Participants return to their daily lives. For the Yurumanguí diaspora, returning for Manacillos is a cultural and political act that reaffirms their connection to their ancestral territory. 26 March 2024 in Juntas, Buenaventura, Colombia. Story: Juntas is an Afro-descendant community deep in the Colombian Pacific rainforest, accessible only by a ten-hour boat journey up the Yurumanguí River. Settled by descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the region in the 1700s, the community faces threats from illegal mining, logging, and armed conflict. Fiesta de los Manacillos is a traditional ritual enacted by the community during Holy Week activities that blends Catholicism with African spiritual traditions. More than just a celebration, the festival is a homecoming for a diaspora, representing a profound affirmation of cultural resilience.
  • Title: “I’m Afraid”: Afghan Women Face US Aid Cuts Credit: © Elise Blanchard, for Time Caption: Atifa assists in what she says will be her last delivery, having run out of medication and the means to continue, at the Malmastok Family Health House. Shahristan district, Daikundi province, Afghanistan, 22 July 2025. Story: In Afghanistan’s remote Daikundi province, US aid cuts have left pregnant women without access to care, forcing many to give birth at home in a country with one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates. The cuts have led to the suspension or closure of 422 health facilities nationwide, including small community clinics staffed by a single midwife, many of whom are now working without salary or supplies. This crisis compounds an already critical situation under Taliban rule; girls are banned from education beyond primary school, preventing a new generation from training as health workers.
  • Title: Wedding in the Flood Credit: © Aaron Favila, Associated Press Caption: Bride Jamaica Aguilar prepares to enter the flooded Barasoain Church for her wedding. The Barasoain Church, a national landmark, is situated in a region where nearly 75% of the population is exposed to flooding hazards. Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines, 22 July 2025. Story: When Typhoon Wipha hit the Philippines and flooded Barasoain Church, Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar faced a difficult decision: should they cancel their wedding or proceed with the marriage? The couple carried on despite high waters, a testament to love and resilience in the face of severe weather. Located on a delta, Bulacan province is vulnerable to more frequent and extreme floods caused by aging drainage systems, dredging projects, overextraction of groundwater, and climate change.
  • Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins Credit: © Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc Caption: The coalition “Basta es Basta” (Enough is Enough) protests in Entre Ríos. In 2024, the province enacted laws allowing pesticide spraying as close as 10 meters from homes. Entre Ríos, Argentina, 30 September 2025. Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina’s cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.
  • Title: Funeral for “The Four of Malvinas” Credit: © Santiago Arcos, for Reuters Caption: Teammates mourn Ismael Arroyo (15) who was tortured and murdered by Air Force personnel. Families, neighbors, and residents of Las Malvinas accompanied the coffins from their homes to the cemetery, turning the funeral into a massive public act of grief and protest. Guayaquil, Ecuador, 1 January 2025 Story: Ecuador’s militarized crackdown on transnational gangs has transformed vulnerable communities into targets for state violence. In December 2024, four Afro-Ecuadorian boys – aged 11 to 15 – disappeared after a neighborhood football practice in Guayaquil. The government initially denied involvement, then attempted to label the children as criminals. The discovery of their burned remains near an air force base shattered the Las Malvinas community and exposed the dangers of security policies that racially profile and criminalize marginalized youth.

Alongside the winning image, two finalists expand the narrative geography of this year’s contest.

The first, by Saber Nuraldin for EPA Images, brings us into the heart of Gaza. His photograph shows civilians climbing onto a humanitarian aid truck entering through the Zikim crossing, desperately reaching for flour. The composition is stark, almost confrontational, forcing the viewer into proximity with hunger.

Taken during what the Israeli military described as a “tactical pause,” the image reflects a broader humanitarian collapse. According to UN data, thousands of Palestinians seeking food were killed near aid distribution points in 2025 alone. Whether framed as war, crisis, or something more contested, the photograph refuses abstraction. It is direct evidence.

The second finalist, by Victor J. Blue for The New York Times Magazine, shifts the focus to Guatemala and a long-delayed reckoning with history. His portrait of Doña Paulina Ixpatá Alvarado and other Maya Achi women stands in quiet contrast to the chaos of the other images.

These women, survivors of sexual violence during the Guatemalan civil war, spent over four decades living alongside their perpetrators. In 2011, 36 of them broke the silence, initiating a legal battle that culminated in 2025 with convictions for crimes against humanity.

Blue’s photograph doesn’t dramatize. Instead, it restores presence. The women are not depicted as victims, but as figures of authority — composed, grounded, and undeniably powerful. It’s a deliberate shift away from historical representations that often stripped survivors of agency.

What emerges from the World Press Photo Contest 2026 is a clear editorial direction: photography as evidence, as resistance, as memory.

With over 57,000 images submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries, this year’s selection reflects a world marked by fracture, but also by persistence. The winning works don’t offer resolution — they demand attention.

As jury president Kira Pollack noted, photojournalists continue to go where stories unfold without witnesses: courtrooms, conflict zones, and overlooked spaces where history quietly takes shape. Not because it’s easy, or safe, or profitable — but because seeing still matters.

The awarded images will now travel globally as part of the World Press Photo Exhibition 2026, opening in Amsterdam at De Nieuwe Kerk on April 24 before touring more than 60 locations worldwide, including Rome, Berlin, Zurich, and Sydney.

At a time when images are consumed faster than ever, these photographs ask for something different: time, reflection, and accountability.

https://www.positive-magazine.com/world-press-photo-2026-photo-of-the-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=world-press-photo-2026-photo-of-the-year