Hanoi (VNA) - 💫The searing pain of those mourning their loved ones who died in the Ethiopian plane crash, orangutans slaughtered in Indonesia, a demonstration in Sudan catch visitors’ eyes as they are strolling along the World Press Photo exhibition on the walking street by Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi

The Dutch Embassy, on November 20, opened the exhibition titled “Best of Three 2018 – 2020” to display a collection of 62 works taken in the past three years across the world. Lasting until November 29, the event aims at enriching the agenda of Hanoi being in the UNESCO’s Global Network of Creative Cities.

Impressive photos

Migration, protests and the environment are immersive and inspiring topics spotlighted at the exhibition, with the environment considered the most prominent for 2020. Meanwhile, protests and the role of youths in activating changes were highlighted by the jury as a recurring theme in the entries, organisers said. Each year, prize-winning pieces of the annual World Press Photo contest, which began in 1955, are presented in some 100 cities across about 45 countries over the course of the year and visited by more than 4 million people worldwide. This year, the exhibition in Hanoi, the third of its kind in the city, is one of the very few held outside Europe due to COVID-19. A work titled “Straight Voice” by Photographer Yasuyoshi Chiba from AFP news agency won the top prize of this year. In the photo, a young man, illuminated by mobile phones, recites protest poetry while demonstrators chant slogans calling for a civilian rule, during a blackout in Khartoum, Sudan, on July 19 in 2019. Astonished by the demonstrators, the Japanese photographer rushed to find place in front of the man and captured the moment. Another work that touches the heart of viewers is the one by Photographer Mulugeta Ayene that captured a relative of a victim of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 plane crash throwing dirt in her face while grieving at the crash site, near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. On 10 March, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, a Boeing 737 MAX, disappeared from the radar six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa airport and crashed into a field, killing all the 157 people on board. The impact was so great that both engines were buried in a crater 10 meters deep. A week after the crash, empty coffins were buried at a ceremony at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, as victims were unable to be identified. Officials gave relatives bags of earth from the crash site.

Expanding communications value of world press photos

In the last three years, the World Press Photo Foundation received around 75,000 images each year from at least 125 countries. Despite differences in the number of photos over the years, the award aims to honour best pieces of visual journalism and share their stories to global audiences, said Suzan van den Berg, Exhibitions Coordinator for World Press Photo. "In this exhibition, we also see stories that reflect what we consider to be 'constructive journalism' - work that puts problem-solving at the centre of the narrative. Take for instance the story about a football team from Benin, Africa, that’s set up with the aim of giving young women more control over their futures through sport," she said. Matca, a partner of the embassy, will run a sideline programme during the nine days of the exhibition including the workshop 'Storytelling Through Portraits', an online panel discussion themed 'Utilising Online Platforms for Photojournalism', and an artist talk show. Free guided tours will also be organised at 10am and 2pm for those interested in learning more about the stories behind the pictures, according to the organiser./.