World press photos of 2014 highlight anti-poverty

The 57th World Press Photo award was given to American photojournalist John Stanmeyer for his photograph of migrants trying to get a phone signal on a beach in Djibouti.

The photo won the top prize of World Press Photo 2014. Source: WPP

The jury of 19 decided to award the grand prize to this image depicting African migrants in search of a better life in Europe, their fate as fragile and unstable as the phone signal they try to get to call their loved ones home.

“It is a photograph that connects many different stories, opening up debates about technology, globalization, migration, poverty, separation and humanity,” said jury member Jillian Edelstein of the Netherlands-based organization.

“Many photographs explore the theme of immigration, but this one is both romantic and serious,” jury member Susan Linfield told AFP.

Stanmeyer told AFP that he captured that moment with the intention of connecting people. “Each call is a story, it could be me, it could be you, with a message of love and connection.”

Stanmeyer, who works for VII Agency, took the above photo for National Geographic magazine, with the theme of fighting social injustice and fighting poverty.

The photo won the single news category of an AFP reporter. Source: WPP

AFP also won two awards at the 2014 World Press Photo Awards, including first prize in the single news photo category for Philippe Lopez with an image of survivors of typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines standing in prayer, holding statues of Jesus and crosses, which was voted by Time magazine as one of the 10 most impressive photos of 2013.

“The photo shows that people's faith is still nurtured despite the disaster, giving them the strength to overcome difficulties,” said the author.

In the single portrait category, South African photographer Brent Stirton won with his photo of a group of blind and albino boys at the Vivekananda School for the Blind in West Bengal, one of the very few schools for the blind in India today.

Source: AFP

World Press Photo organizers said that nearly 100,000 photos by 5,754 reporters from 132 countries around the world participated in this year's contest.

The top prize winner, Stanmayer, will be awarded 10,000 euros and a camera at an awards ceremony in Amsterdam next April.

According to Vietnam+