World Press Photo of the Year 2025: A Child’s Portrait That Speaks Volumes

At this year’s World Press Photo Awards, the top honor went to Palestinian photojournalist Samar Abu Elouf for her portrait of nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour, grievously wounded in a Gaza airstrike.

The image, titled “Mahmoud Ajjour, Aged Nine,” captures quiet strength. Mahmoud, now recovering in Doha, has learned to adapt to life without his arms. The image reflects the intimate, ethical journalism that connects viewers with human suffering and resilience.

Other finalists highlighted climate change and migration—a boy crossing Amazon riverbeds during drought, and Chinese migrants braving the U.S. border.

Why it matters:

• It humanizes conflict.
• It shows photojournalism with dignity.
• It invites global empathy.

In a visual world, it’s often the quietest images that leave the deepest mark.