The World Press Photo Montreal exhibition team announces that the World Press Photo Contest global winners are now revealed.

Often compared to the Oscars of photography, the World Press Photo is the most prestigious international contest of professional photography. This year’s prize winning photographs were selected through nearly 60,000 submissions by 3,752 photojournalists hailing from 127 countries.

With Russia’s war in Ukraine constantly in the news, the Photo of the Year goes to Evgeniy Maloletka for his confronting image from the siege of Mariupol for perfectly capturing the human suffering caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a single image.
The Story of the Year, nine haunting but beautiful photos by Mads Nissen, refuses to let us forget the people of Afghanistan living now under the Taliban and with a lack of international aid.

The Long-Term Project Award goes to Anush Babajanyan, for her work spanning years to highlight a story not often covered outside Central Asia about water management impacts after the end of the Soviet Union made worse by the climate crisis – but most importantly, showing the powerful spirit of people forced to adapt to new realities.

The Open Format Award goes to Mohamed Mahdy, who is collaborating with neighborhood residents of Al Max, in Alexandria, Egypt, to preserve the memory of their fast-disappearing fishing village and has invited the whole world to participate through an interactive website.

Each of these stories draws attention to some of the most pressing issues facing the world today – from the devastating documentation of the war in Ukraine and historic protests in Iran, to the realities in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and the many faces of the climate crisis in countries ranging from Morocco to Australia to Peru to Kazakhstan.

24 winners and six honorable mentions cover stories from the front lines of conflict, culture, identity, migration, memories of lost past and glimpses of near and distant futures.

An independent jury of regional and global experts selected the regional entries for 2023. Divided into four categories (Singles, Stories, Long-Term Projects, and Open Format), the prizewinning photographs were announced in Amsterdam on April 20.

Presented in Montreal since 2005, the World Press Photo Montreal exhibition is one of the most popular worldwide and will take place from August 30 to October 15, at the Bonsecours Market in Old Montreal.