The renowned World Press Photo Contest has released this year’s winnerd of its four major awards.

Photo of the Year

The work of Associated Press war photographer Evgeniy Maloletka, who captured an injured pregnant woman being carried away from a hospital in Ukraine damaged during a Russian airstrike, won Photo of the Year.

WPP Contest Europe Evgeniy Maloletka
The winner of the Photo of the Year Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka.

The World Press Photo Foundation said the confronting image from the siege of Mariupol perfectly captured the human suffering caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a single image. The infant was stillborn and the woman died soon after.

Story of the year

Mads Nissen, whose work was selected as the Story of the Year, captured the daily lives of people across Afghanistan in 2022.

WPP 2023Contest Asia Mads Nissen
The winner of the Story of the Year Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Mads Nissen.

The photo series began with a portrait of 15 year-old boy who sold his kidney for US$3,500 to buy food for his family.

WPP 2023Contest Asia Mads Nissen
The winner of the Story of the Year Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Mads Nissen.

After two decades of war, the US and allied forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021.

WPP 2023Contest Asia Mads Nissen
The winner of the Story of the Year Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Mads Nissen.

As a result, the Taliban regained control of the country, leading to the cessation of international aid that had largely funded the government.

WPP 2023Contest Asia Mads Nissen
The winner of the Story of the Year Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Mads Nissen.

Additionally, billions of dollars of Afghan state assets were frozen, causing the already weak economy to crumble.

WPP 2023Contest Asia Mads Nissen
The winner of the Story of the Year Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Mads Nissen.


Nissen photographed the story of a country in crisis while on assignment for Politiken. “My hope with this work is more than anything to create not just awareness, but engagement to the millions of Afghans who are desperately in need of food and humanitarian aid right now,” he said.

Open format Award

Mohamed Mahdy won the Open Format Award. Mahdy has worked with residents of Al Max, in Egypt, to preserve the memory of their fast-disappearing fishing village through an interactive website.

WPP-2023Contest-Africa-OPF-Mohamed-Mahdy
The winner of the Open Format Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Mohamed Mahdy.

Long-term Project Award

The Long-Term Project Award went to Anush Babajanyan, who spent years covering a story about water management after the collapse of the Soviet Union was made worse by the climate crisis.

In Central Asia, drought, conflicting needs, and water mismanagement are disrupting the long-standing cooperation between four landlocked countries.

WPP 2023Contest Asia Anush-Babajanyan
The winner of the Long-Term Project Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Anush Babajanyan.
WPP 2023Contest Asia Anush-Babajanyan
The winner of the Long-Term Project Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Anush Babajanyan.
WPP 2023Contest Asia Anush-Babajanyan
The winner of the Long-Term Project Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Anush Babajanyan.
WPP 2023Contest Asia Anush-Babajanyan
The winner of the Long-Term Project Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Anush Babajanyan.
WPP 2023Contest Asia Anush-Babajanyan
The winner of the Long-Term Project Award in the Global Press Photo Contest 2023. Photo: Anush Babajanyan.

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