The best 140 photos taken in 2018 were exhibited in the third edition of the World Press Photo 2019 photography exhibition, opened today in Chișinău. According to the organizers, the award-winning photographs have contributed to the development of visual journalism. The event is organized by the Center for Independent Journalism (CJI) with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The head of the Office of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chișinău, Floris van Eijk, said that this type of exhibition was created in 1955 in order to promote the exchange of information and to encourage journalism oriented towards the protection of human rights. The winners of the competition then participate in an exhibition opened around the world. The stories behind the photos talk about the complexity of different phenomena from around the world. Floris van Eijk considers that independent journalism is an important pillar of society.
Anita Aulaya, member of the World Press Photo Foundation in the Netherlands, said that 78 thousand images signed by authors from 128 countries were submitted to this year’s competition. The purpose of this kind of competitions has not changed over the years and is about promoting visual journalism and sharing the stories behind the photographs. Although all photographs are different, the message they convey is the resistance of individual people and peoples to an adversity that they face in their lives when they want to gain freedom.
Nadine Gogu, Independent Journalism Center director, said that World Press Photo is an important exhibition not only for the guild of photographers, but also for the general public. "In 2019, we see that the emphasis has been more on migration or women's issues, but that does not mean that other important issues have been left behind", concluded the CJI director. She added that some photos shock, others raise awareness, others encourage people to leave their comfort zone, to doubt established beliefs and to start conversations.
Photojournalist Nicolae Pojoga said that there are over 500 international photography competitions in the world, yet World Press Photo is the most important in his opinion. "It's the equivalent of the Oscars". The photographer said that for the people of Moldova, the message of the photos on display is relatable, because "what is happening now in the world is happening everywhere. The borders and censorship are gone", said Nicolae Pojoga.
The exhibition will be on display in Chișinău from November 23 to December 12, 2019, at the National Museum of History of Moldova. Access is free of charge.
