Twenty-four international newspaper picture editors have selected compelling photographs to compete at this year's Visa pour l'Image festival in Perpignan, France, for the prestigious Gökşin Sipahioğlu by Sipa Press Daily Press Visa d'or award. The renowned photojournalism festival runs until September 14, featuring powerful images that capture global events ranging from war zones to cultural celebrations.
The competition showcases remarkable diversity in photojournalism from across the globe. Danish newspaper Berlingske contributed a striking image by photographer Niels Ahlmann Olesen showing girls from the Princess Ballet group rehearsing in an underground shelter in Kharkiv, Ukraine, as bombs fall above them in January 2025. During their lesson, air raid alarms went off four times, yet the young dancers continued their practice in the face of danger.
Several European publications highlighted significant political and social developments. Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant selected Daniel Rosenthal's photograph of Akram Aljnidi, a 24-year-old Syrian-Dutch citizen, with his mother Mariam at the Syria-Jordan border control in January 2025. The pair were returning to see what remained of their homeland after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, with Aljnidi looking surprised at the newly constructed reception hall at the Syrian border. The family had originally fled to the Netherlands via Egypt at the start of the war.
French newspapers provided particularly poignant coverage of Middle Eastern conflicts. L'Humanité featured Nicolas Cleuet's photograph from the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and his presumed successor, Hashem Safieddine, at Beirut Sports City, Lebanon, in February 2025. Meanwhile, Libération selected Jehad Alshrafi's image of two children on a rooftop in Khan Younis, Gaza, in September 2024, which also serves as the main image for the festival.
The New York Times contributed a powerful photograph by Daniel Berehulak showing people inside Syria's Sednaya prison searching for information about their missing relatives in December 2024. Tens of thousands of Syrians disappeared into the Assad regime's detention system during the civil war, making this image particularly significant in documenting the human cost of the conflict.
Several submissions captured the ongoing humanitarian crises in Africa. Swedish publication EFN featured Niclas Hammarström's photograph of M23 soldiers patrolling the streets of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in March 2025. The image shows life beginning to return to the city as people venture onto the streets again after the rebel group took control of large parts of eastern Congo, though civilians continue to face nighttime armed robberies and executions when darkness falls.
The festival also includes images documenting social and economic challenges. Danish newspaper Politiken selected Mads Nissen's photograph of 12-year-old Noemi Jara crouching silently to hide from US immigration patrols. Her family fled gang violence in Ecuador but now faces the risk of capture, exploitation, and deportation. French publication StreetPress.com contributed Hervé Lequeux's image of Alpha, a young Guinean migrant returning to his tent set up under a bridge due to lack of accommodation.
Cultural and sporting events also feature prominently in the competition. The Guardian UK selected Tom Jenkins' photograph of beach volleyball players from the USA and Germany warming up for their women's match under the Eiffel Tower at the Olympic Games in Paris. Le Parisien featured the French blind football team led by captain Frédéric Villeroux as they became Paralympic champions against Argentina at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The competition reflects the breadth of contemporary photojournalism, from documenting conflicts and humanitarian crises to celebrating human resilience and cultural achievements. These carefully selected images demonstrate the continued power of photography to tell important stories and bear witness to significant global events, reinforcing the vital role of visual journalism in today's media landscape.
