World Press Photo 2025
Press photographyby 42 winnersfrom 31 countries
From November 6, the World Press Photo Exhibition 2025 will be on display at Museum Hilversum. The exhibition showcases the most striking press and documentary photography of the past year.
More than 3,700 photographers from 141 countries submitted over 59,000 photos. From these, an international jury selected 42 winners from 31 countries. Their work tells stories from around the world, covering themes such as climate, migration, war, protest, identity, and hope. The photos show how photographers capture the spirit of the times and invite us to reflect on the stories and events shaping our world.
World Press Photo of the Year 2025
The highest award was given to Samar Abu Elouf for her powerful photo “Mahmoud Ajjour, Aged Nine.” The image shows a boy in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, shortly after he was injured in an airstrike. With subtle strength, Abu Elouf reveals the human face of war—a picture that symbolizes the resilience and vulnerability of children in conflict zones.
Dutch winners
Two Dutch photographers are also among this year’s winners. Prins de Vos was recognized for Mika, an intimate portrait of a young trans man who had been waiting nearly two years for his first appointment at a gender clinic.
Marijn Fidder received a prize for Tamale Safalu, about a Ugandan bodybuilder who, after a motorcycle accident, did not give up on his athletic ambitions and became the first athlete with a disability to compete against able-bodied competitors.
The exhibition invites visitors to step back from the daily news cycle and reflect on the major themes of our time. World Press Photo believes that honest, diverse, and high-quality photography contributes to mutual understanding, encourages dialogue, and inspires action.
About World Press Photo
The World Press Photo Foundation was founded in 1955 in Amsterdam with the aim of celebrating and safeguarding the work of photojournalists. What began as a small international contest has grown into the most prestigious award in visual journalism worldwide.
The foundation promotes a diverse and truthful view of the world and provides an international platform for photographers who tell urgent stories. The annual exhibition travels to more than eighty cities worldwide, reaching millions of visitors.
