Society and Mass Media: World Press Photo Exhibition to open in Kazan

The world-famous exhibition World Press Photo featuring nearly 200 unique works of photojournalists from around the world, opened in Kazan on August 4.

The exhibition was organized by Objective Reality Fund, RIA Novosti news agency and Global United Services with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Tatarstan and the Kazan City Hall.

“The unique exhibition that reflects the most important world events of 2010, includes nearly 200 works by the winners of the world prestigious photojournalism competition World Press Photo, the 54th final of which took place February 2011 in Amsterdam. This exhibition has already been demonstrated in Moscow and Samara with great success, "- said the secretary of the Ministry of Culture of Tatarstan Irina Ermakova.

Each year an independent international jury including professional photographers, photo editors and media, estimates the candidates in nine different categories represented by photojournalists, agencies, newspapers and magazines from all over the world.

"In two weeks the jury had studied a record number of photographs - more than 108 000.  About 5, 700 photographers from 125 countries have taken part in the contest. The work of the jury which had lasted for two weeks, bringing together 19 photo editors, photographers and representatives of news agencies from around the world ", - explained Irina Ermakova.

This year's winners became 55 photographers from 23 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Somalia , South Africa, Spain and the United States.

This year the first prize ("Photo of the Year") was awarded to Jodi Bieber from South Africa. Jodi Bieber has received eight awards in previous competitions of World Press Photo. She is the second photographer from South Africa who has been awarded the highest award of World Press Photo.

As a result of this contest the jury decided to specially mark a series of 12 photographs taken by Chilean miners buried into the mine in San Jose after the collapse of rocks.

The exhibition runs until August 21.