Our priority is to understand the facts of the situation, as best as possible, before taking any action. We believe that contextualising the situation and placing it in its larger historical setting is also important. This is a path that can provoke needed discussion around issues in photojournalism and documentary photography.
At World Press Photo we have a process when allegations arise after prizes have been awarded. Our values at World Press Photo are accuracy, trustworthiness and diversity.
We do not question the professionalism of any of the photographers involved or the Associated Press. It is also without question that this photograph represents a real moment in history that continues to reverberate in Vietnam, the United States, and globally.
Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of World Press Photo, states:
“This case touches on who had the power in the selection of the image, in writing the caption, in placing this image in the world’s spotlight, and, in the end, in attributing authorship.
Preserving, sharing, and fostering discourse around historical records is something I believe in. But in order to do this properly, we need to be able to raise doubts, if they are well-founded, and to raise questions however uncomfortable they make us.
If we are to continue to be trustworthy in our vital role of informing the public, we need to squarely face the difficult questions of power and process.”
Notes for the editor
A personal reflection by Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of World Press Photo
is available here.
The process for addressing issues that surface after the independent jury awards an entry are outlined on page 34 of our
judging procedures.
The photograph was taken on 08 June 1972. Each year, an independent jury selects the best press and documentary photography from the previous year for the World Press Photo Contest. They awarded this image in the 1973 edition of the contest.
Contacts
For further comment or to potentially arrange an interview with Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of World Press Photo, please contact us at:
andrew@worldpressphoto.org, nj@nicolajeffs.com, communications@worldpressphoto.org
About the World Press Photo Foundation
Our mission: Connecting the world to the stories that matter.
Founded in 1955, World Press Photo is an independent, nonprofit organization based in the Netherlands. Since then our annual contest has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious photo competitions, rewarding the best in photojournalism and documentary photography from around the world.
Our annual and thematic exhibitions reach millions of people in over 80 locations around the world each year, and our online work reaches millions more. Through a range of educational programs we create opportunities for learning, dialogue, and exchange among photography professionals and the general public.
We appreciate the support of our strategic partners, the Dutch Postcode Lottery, PwC, and FUJIFILM Corporation.
