The past 12 months have seen monumental global changes. Voters in more than 60 countries went to the polls, making it a record-breaking year for elections. The results of these, namely the inauguration of Donald Trump in the USA, had worldwide repercussions. Others, like the appointment of Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president, made history. The war in Ukraine, ongoing genocide in Gaza and conflict in Sudan devastated the lives of millions and dominated political conversations. Photojournalists have been there for every key moment, bringing hidden stories to light and documenting history as it happens – from presidential assassination attempts to the iconic shot of a Surfer that captivated Olympics fans. Since 1955, the World Press Photo Foundation has recognised the vital work of these image-makers. Each year, the prize selects winners from all over the world, platforming photographs that connect viewers to the stories that matter. Here, we bring you five enduring works from the 2025 Winners. 

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. It was the first conflict on European soil since WWII. The country’s de facto ban on critical media and suppression of anti-war protests has created an alternative narrative of what it calls the “special military operation.” Photographer Aliona Kardash was born in Russia, but now lives in Germany. Making a return visit to her hometown, the artist tries to capture how war transforms us. In the series, normal life collides with the conflict in unexpected ways. A particularly striking example is a picture of the letter “Z”, which became a symbol of public support for the army, shining amongst innocuous Christmas decorations. In another image, Kardash sits next to her younger sister, a mother of two. They are physically close, but their lives are distant, and the siblings have never discussed the war. It is a reminder that even those most precious can become lost in the sea of uncertainty.

Temiloluwa Johnson’s (b. 2001) winning image documents a drag party in Lagos, Nigera. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the country face legal prosecution, widespread social discrimination and physical violence. To mark Pride month, or acknowledge LGBTQIA+ rights in any way, is a potentially dangerous act of defiance. Held in a secret location, “Heavenly Bodies: Notes on Fola Francis” was the third edition of a Pride celebration. The queer event was closely guarded, with the venue – one of the largest drag ballrooms in Nigeria – only announced a few hours before it started. The 2024 event was named after the late Fola Francis, a trans icon, activist, and first openly transgender person to walk the runway during Lagos Fashion Week. Despite knowing all risks, more than 500 people turned up to the occasion, providing a vibrant space for an inclusive celebration of love and free self-expression. 

This winning series tells the deeply moving story of Ana Maria, an Angolan woman trafficked to Portugal under the false promise of education. She was nine years old when she was uprooted from her life and has spent more than four decades working in other people’s homes, making a vital contribution to their daily routines. Maria Abranches (b. 1991) unflinchingly shows the realities of Ana Maria’s life – in one photo, she sits exhausted on the sofa after helping a client who had a fall. In another, she rests her head on her hand, eyes closed on busy public transport. Captions add to the story, telling viewers that Ana Maria’s real name is Utima, the Kimbundu word for “heart”, before being given a new title by the family that brought her to Portugal. The pictures honours one single woman, but in these powerful images we feel the echoes of countless individuals like her, who are found all across Europe.

In 2017, Cinzia Canneri began documenting the experiences of Eritrean women fleeing the contry’s repressive government. Her scope has expanded to include the stories of Tigrayan women fleeing from armed invasion.  Both groups have been the targets of systematic sexual violence that, due to social stigma, limited health facilities, and a lack of journalistic access, remains insufficiently reported by news media. Canneri strikes an impressive balance between honestly reflecting the trauma and cruelty experienced by the women, whilst also foregrounding moments of community, connection and resistance. Many images are harrowing – one shows a 22-year-old who had her kidney removed after being shot by police. Elsewhere, hands hold out sheets of paper. They are covered in data about sexual assaults, collected by communities in the absence of any government acknowledgement.

The Amazon River is experiencing record low-water levels due to severe drought, intensified by climate change. The ecological crisis threatens biodiversity, disrupts ecosystems and impacts local communities that are reliant on rivers for survival. Many inhabitants face the difficult possibility of abandoning their land, permanently changing the social fabric of this region. Mexican photographer Musuk Nolte (b. 1988) set out to make the effects of climate change, which are so often abstract or difficult to represent, appear tangible and concrete. In one image, a young man turns away from the camera, sand stretching as far as the eye can see. The heat of the day is almost palpable, the figure has only a straw hat for protection, his bare back exposed to the sun. He is on the way to deliver food to his mother, who lives in a village that was once accessible by boat but is now a two-kilometre walk along the dry bed of the Solimões River. 

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worldpressphoto.org

Words: Emma Jacob

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Image credits:

1 & 6. Droughts in the Amazon © Musuk Nolte, Panos Pictures, Bertha Foundation.

2. It Smells of Smoke at Home © Aliona Kardash, DOCKS Collective, for Stern Magazine.

3. Mother Moves, House Approves © Temiloluwa Johnson. Participants at “Heavenly Bodies,” an underground drag ballroom event during Lagos Pride, celebrate the “mother of the year” winner. Lagos, Nigeria, 21 June 2024.

4. MARIA © Maria Abranches. One of Ana Maria’s uniforms hangs ready for work. Originally called Utima (the Kimbundu word for “heart”), she was given her new name by the family that brought her to Portugal. Lisbon, Portugal, 27 November 2023.

5. Women’s Bodies as Battlefields © Cinzia Canneri, Association Camille Lepage.