Istanbul: Istanbul Photo Awards once again shows that every photograph with documentary value is not merely an image, but a language for understanding and conveying the state of the world and the essence of a society, Anadolu President and CEO Serdar Karagoz said. A special event of the first exhibition of Istanbul Photo Awards 2025 was held at CSO Ada Ankara under the auspices of Karagoz on Tuesday.
According to Anadolu Agency, in his opening remarks at the official invitational event, Karagoz stated that each photograph in the exhibition serves as a silent narrator of emotions, events, and testimonies. Istanbul Photo Awards, organized by Anadolu for its 11th consecutive year, awarded 29 photographers across 10 categories. The selections were made from approximately 22,000 submissions from around the world, a testament to the contest's growing prestige, which has attracted entries from more than 20,000 photographers globally since its inception.
Karagoz noted that the Photo of the Year award went to Palestinian photographer Saeed Jaras for his image titled 'Gaza-Deir al-Balah,' depicting grieving parents embracing the lifeless bodies of their children killed in Israeli airstrikes. Recalling that a similar image had been chosen as the Photo of the Year in the previous year, Karagoz remarked: "This shows that the world's political and tragic realities have seen little change. As journalists, reporters, and photojournalists, we document history."
Karagoz emphasized that every photojournalist documenting wars, crises, earthquakes, and human stories, from Gaza to Ukraine, from Damascus to New York, is truly speaking with history. "Images replaced reality in today's world. Public perception is now shaped by images, and truth is being reconstructed under the shadow of representation. In this sense, photographs are not just records, but instruments of meaning-making," Karagoz stated.
Citing iconic images such as a refugee father carrying his baby in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a child fleeing during the Vietnam War, and a small hand clutching a teddy bear under the rubble in Gaza, Karagoz stressed that such photographs are more than news; they become lasting symbols imprinted in collective consciousness. He added that platforms such as Istanbul Photo Awards serve not only artistic and aesthetic purposes but also carry the responsibility of preserving societal memory and shaping media narratives.
Highlighting Anadolu's photo archive of over 13 million images, he explained that the agency had distributed globally 100,000 photographs during the Syrian war, 150,000 during the Russia-Ukraine war, and 3,000 from the Iran-Israel conflict. "Our historical record does not end there. Thousands of major events and the most pivotal moments in countless lives have been documented by Anadolu Ajansi," he said.
Karagoz said Istanbul Photo Awards also aims to raise awareness about the dedication and importance of photojournalists working under difficult conditions. "Since its inception, the competition has grown into a global platform with over 206,000 photo submissions by nearly 20,000 photographers. This year's edition attracted nearly 22,000 entries from around the world, from Brazil to Nepal, Canada to Nigeria, and from Palestine to Japan. Our esteemed international jury carefully evaluated each entry, with moments captured by nearly 2,000 photographers assessed across 10 categories," he said.
Following his speech, Anadolu Visual News Director Aykut Unlupinar provided insights into the exhibited works, and guests were also presented with an album featuring the winning photographs. TRT Director General Mehmet Zahid Sobaci, Anadolu Editor-in-Chief Yusuf Ozhan, and Chief Operating Officer Oguz Enis Peru, among others, were present at the exhibition. Bosnia and Herzegovina's Ambassador to Trkiye, Mirsada Colakovic, praised the powerful impact of the photographs, particularly those from Palestine, and extended her congratulations to everyone involved in organizing the contest.
The exhibition, open to visitors through July 20, features a selection of 150 photographs, including award-winning works. Visitors can view compelling visual narratives from the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza to the devastating floods in East Africa, volcanic eruptions in Iceland, and more. Istanbul Photo Awards has become a cornerstone of global photojournalism, celebrating the art of visual storytelling while shedding light on critical issues worldwide. This year's contest is supported by Turkcell, TIKA, and Turkish Airlines.
More information on the winning photographs and jury members can be found at istanbulphotoawards.com.