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A striking portrait from Gaza takes top honor at the World Press Photo Awards 2025, while entries from Asia and beyond highlight the emotional force of visual storytelling

On April 18, the World Press Photo Foundation announced the winners of its 2025 contest at a press event in Amsterdam, kicking off its annual flagship exhibition at De Nieuwe Kerk. The reveal was broadcast worldwide, with news outlets from across the globe covering the emotionally resonant images that emerged as this year’s most powerful examples of photojournalism. Like every year, the winning photographs are more than snapshots—they’re windows into the human stories behind the headlines.

Now in its 70th year, the World Press Photo Contest has long been considered a major milestone in the world of photojournalism. Since its founding in 1955 in the Netherlands, the competition has grown into a truly global platform, showcasing the work of visual storytellers from every corner of the world. This year, nearly 60,000 images were submitted by over 3,700 photographers across 141 countries. From this sea of entries, the judges selected 42 winners—images that don’t just report the news, but make us feel its impact.

Mahmoud Ajjour (9), who was injured during an Israeli attack on Gaza City in March 2024, finds refuge and medical help in Qatar. Doha, Qatar, 28 June 2024.
© Samar Abu Elouf, for The New York Times

The most powerful of these, and the Photo of the Year, was captured by Palestinian photojournalist Samar Abu Elouf. Her portrait of nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour, who lost both arms during an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, is as quiet as it is devastating. In the image, Mahmoud sits near a softly lit window in Doha, Qatar, his expression calm but heavy with emotion. It’s a picture that reveals itself in layers. At first, it appears serene, even tender. But then you notice—his arms are gone. The shock of that realization deepens the emotional weight of the photo.

Mahmoud’s story is just as wrenching as the image itself. Injured while fleeing an attack in Gaza City, he turned back to call to his family when an explosion tore through the street. One arm was severed instantly, the other too badly damaged to save. After being evacuated to Doha, he and Samar now live in the same apartment complex, where she continues to document the lives of Gaza’s most gravely wounded children. Despite everything, Mahmoud is finding new ways to adapt—he’s learning to play games on a phone, write, and open doors with his feet.

The photo received wide praise not just for its composition but for the depth of the story it tells. “This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly,” said Joumana El Zein Khoury, Executive Director of World Press Photo. “It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations.” She added, “I’m endlessly grateful for the photographers who, despite the personal risks and emotional costs, record these stories to give all of us the opportunity to understand, empathize, and be inspired to action.”

Chinese migrants warm themselves during a cold rain after crossing the US–Mexico border. Campo, California, 7 March 2024.
© John Moore, Getty Images

Alongside the winning image, two finalists were recognized for their equally moving portrayals of human struggle. One of them, taken by Getty Images photographer John Moore, is titled Night Crossing. It shows Chinese migrants huddled under a tree after crossing into the U.S. from Mexico, wrapped in blankets and rain-soaked. The image captures a vulnerable, almost intimate moment that cuts through the politics of immigration and places the focus squarely on the people living it.

A young man brings food to his mother who lives in the village of Manacapuru. The village was once accessible by boat, but because of the drought, he must walk 2 kilometers along the dry riverbed of the Solimões River to reach her. Amazonas, Brazil, 5 October 2024.
© Musuk Nolte, Panos Pictures, Bertha Foundation

The second finalist, shot by Peruvian-Mexican photographer Musuk Nolte, tells a different story but with just as much urgency. In the drought-stricken Amazon, a young man walks several kilometers along a parched riverbed to bring food to his mother. The village of Manacapuru, once reachable by boat, now lies stranded by a vanishing river. Nolte’s photo illustrates the creeping, often invisible toll of climate change in one of the world’s most vital ecosystems.

A woman and her birth father wipe away tears after an emotional reunion, some 40 years after they were separated. Seoul, 31 May 2024.
© Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

A man wades through a street flooded by heavy rains from Typhoon Toraij. Ilagan City, Isabela, northern Philippines, 12 November 2024.
© Noel Celis, Associated Press

While the spotlight often falls on the global winners, this year’s contest also saw a strong showing from Asia-based photographers, reflecting the contest’s push for more diverse voices and regional storytelling. Thai photojournalist Chalinee Thirasupa’s compelling images earned her a place among the 2025 World Press Photo winners. In South Korea, a powerful image explored the personal impact of adoption fraud—an issue that has affected thousands of families but rarely receives international attention. And in the Philippines, veteran photojournalist Noel Celis was recognized for his series Four Storms, 12 Days, which chronicled the destruction wrought by a relentless wave of typhoons. The series stood out for its raw depiction of resilience and the fragility of everyday life in the face of worsening weather patterns.

These Asian stories are part of a larger trend in the contest. Of this year’s 42 winners, 30 were local to the country or region where their story was captured. It’s a shift that speaks to a broader ethos—photojournalism is most powerful when told from within, rather than imposed from outside. That’s a principle the World Press Photo Foundation has increasingly embraced, not just in its awards, but in its education and training initiatives as well.

A man sprays alcohol toward long-tailed macaques to keep them from stealing goods near Phra Prang Sam Yot temple, a monkey hotspot. Lopburi, Thailand, 25 May 2024.
© Chalinee Thirasupa, Reuters

A long-tailed macaque looks into a motorbike’s side mirror, near Phra Prang Sam Yot temple. Lopburi, Thailand, 3 February 2024.
© Chalinee Thirasupa, Reuters

A long-tailed macaque attacks a shop employee, opposite Phra Prang Sam Yot temple. Lopburi, Thailand, 3 February 2024.
© Chalinee Thirasupa, Reuters

As an independent nonprofit, World Press Photo has spent decades championing photography as a tool for dialogue, accountability, and change. Beyond the annual contest, its global exhibitions and learning programs reach millions of people each year. The organization is also strict about authenticity—AI-generated images are banned, and every shortlisted image is reviewed for digital manipulation and factual accuracy. In a world where seeing is no longer always believing, these standards matter more than ever.

The award-winning images will now embark on a world tour, with exhibitions scheduled in more than 60 cities. In Asia, the 2025 edition will visit Jakarta from November 25 to December 24. Meanwhile, Japan will host the 2024 edition in Kyoto, from November 30 through December 29, at the Kyoto Shimbun Building. While that show will feature last year’s winners, it includes celebrated work by Asian photographers, including Kazuhiko Matsumura’s piece Heartstrings, which captured the Asia regional prize in the Open Format category.

As always, dates and venues are subject to change, so those planning to attend are encouraged to check the official World Press Photo calendar for the latest updates.

URL: www.worldpressphoto.org
Instagram: @worldpressphoto