The winner and Photographer of the Year 2024 is Roberta Vagliani (Italy) with 'The right to know'
This image was taken in a school in Zanzibar, where there are no desks, chairs, or school supplies. All these little girls have is a notebook and their memory. Knowledge is passed on to them by a single teacher.
"In every person, there is the potential to transform the world."
Elaine Klein (Israel)
Ilaria Miani (Italy), December 2023
The Q'ero people reside in remote villages at altitudes reaching up to 16,400 feet above sea level. They are recognized as the last living direct descendants of the Incas. Their primary sources of sustenance are potatoes and alpacas. However, life in these villages has become increasingly challenging due to climate change, which has disrupted the seasonal cycles. Their crops now face the dual threats of violent storms and severe droughts.
Andrea Peruzzi (Italy), August 2015
The magnificent karst peaks scattered throughout the Li River area and the village of Xingping reach their peak splendor at sunset. Sunlight filters through the peaks and reflects in the green waters of the river. At this moment, the "master" fishermen, aboard bamboo rafts with their faithful cormorants, set sail, waiting for the darkness of night to carry out this spectacular ancient method of fishing. This timeless place and art, now mostly performed as folklore for tourists, help preserve historical memory and local cultural traditions.
Zhenhuan Zhou (China) - Ontario, Canada, 2022
Barrel racing is a thrilling competition where cowgirls race around barrels, aiming to complete the course in the shortest time. Each time a horse reaches a barrel, it must brake sharply, turn around the barrel, and then sprint to the next one. The race is especially exciting at the turns.
Guillaume Petermann: His majesty the Dragon Blood Tree
Due to its isolation, Socotra Island has become a treasure trove of biodiversity. Of the 825 identified plant species, 307 are endemic, which is rare on a global scale. The most famous gem is the "Dracaena cinnabari," also known as the dragon blood tree. This tree is a remnant of prehistoric flora, renowned for its blood-red sap used in dyeing, cosmetics, and as a medicinal remedy. With its woven foliage shaped like a giant parasol, the dragon blood tree is truly impressive. It is highly resilient and can live up to a thousand years.
Mauro De Bettio (Italy): Makoko
Makoko, the world's largest floating slum with over 300,000 residents, faces severe challenges due to a lack of infrastructure and essential services. Located in Lagos, Africa's largest economic hub, Makoko's stilt houses serve as both homes and a sewage system for the city's 20 million inhabitants. The community also grapples with poverty, limited education, and healthcare disparities, further complicated by complex issues of land tenure and government recognition. Despite these obstacles, Makoko residents display remarkable unity, working together not only to survive but to thrive in their challenging environment, fostering a deep sense of belonging.
Maria Bratan (Moldavia): Girls from Gagauzia
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Yannick Gouguenheim (France): Prince in the making (Common toad in the Lamalou river)
Amphibians live both terrestrial and aquatic lives, which is reflected in the very origin of the word "amphibian," meaning "double life" in ancient Greek. During the larval phase and the reproduction period, they are aquatic, while the rest of the time they live on land. The prince transformed into a toad in the fable reflects the bad reputation of the species. Is it because of the parotoid glands that contain venom and give them that warty appearance? Despite this reputation, the toad is a remarkable amphibian and an essential part of the ecosystem. Nocturnal and carnivorous, toads hunt small insects and worms. They hibernate during the cold season in a cavity protected from frost. In early spring, they return to spawning sites such as lakes, ponds, backwaters, pools, and rivers.
Lieven Neirinck (Belgium): Orchestrated Friendship. Yemen, 1991
"At the end of the 20th century, I traveled several times through Yemen and Oman. For four consecutive summer holidays, I explored the southern peninsula of Arabia, researching the vision and feeling of Arabian exotism. It was a dangerous adventure because the Gulf War was raging. I had to flee Yemen due to the intense anti-Western sentiment. I concluded my travels in a mysterious archipelago, where concepts like the "Empty Quarter," the most desolate desert, and the aroma of frankincense and myrrh guided my way..."
Georgi Georgiev (Bulgaria) - Ladybug. Nature Park Strandzha Mountain
The magical hidden world of ladybugs...
Alessandro Deluigi: Spectacular noise
A little boy, sitting at the top of a slide, plugs his ears against the deafening noise of the spectacular Italian Tricolour Arrows. The light blue and dark blue tones of the sky combine perfectly under the summer sun, while the airplanes' white trails form two mirrored semi-circles, soon to create a heart.
Ahmed El Hanjoul (Germany): This is my eye. Lebanon, 2021
A village woman from Lebanon, her face etched with wrinkles and her hands showing signs of exhaustion, holds her chicken as if it were a part of herself.
Victor Wong: The Performer. Pushkar Camel Fair, India, 2019
During the bustling camel fair held annually in Pushkar, India, thousands of tourists and camel buyers gather in this usually deserted region. The event features a variety of programs, including camel races and talent shows by individual street performers, attracting people from all over India. The whole event is colorful and joyful.
Manuel Besse (France): With all your might. 2023, gold mining field, Rio, Brazil
A woman working in the harsh, almost slave-like conditions in the gold mining industry in Brazil.
