There is also an Italian photographer among the winners of the World Press Photo Contest 2026: she is Chantal Pinzi

World Press Photo has announced the winners of the 2026 World Press Photo Contest, confirming its mission to “connect the world to the stories that matter” through the work of photojournalists and documentary photographers from all parts of the globe. The 2026 edition selected the best projects from 57,376 images submitted by 3,747 photographers from 141 countries. Among the award-winning works, both stories already known to the public and less visible narratives capable of offering broad perspectives alongside more intimate looks emerge. Themes range from global conflicts and crises to examples of resistance, resilience and little-known traditions.

The winning photographs recount complex and topical scenarios, rendering an intense visual record of life around the world-from the United States to Ukraine, from Nepal to Pakistan to Palestine. The selection also highlights the widespread impact of the climate crisis, with images from contexts as diverse as Los Angeles, the Philippines, Mexico and Norway. There is no shortage of references to social mobilizations and advocacy, documented through protests in the United States and women’s movements in Guatemala and Kenya.

Many of the award-winning projects are distinguished by an intimate and deeply human approach, addressing issues such as illness, isolation, grief and survival. Alongside these stories also emerge narratives related to new generations: young ballet dancers in South Africa, women on horseback in Morocco, and families scarred by migration policies in the United States. Environmental portraits, moreover, offer direct contact with nature, from images of slaughtered elephants in Zimbabwe to those of a polar bear next to a sperm whale carcass, to a close-up of a panda in a Chinese national park. Taken together, these works paint a powerful and urgent picture of the contemporary world.

The format of the competition, reorganized by geographic area beginning in 2021, continues to encourage a greater variety of voices and narratives. In 2026, 31 of the 42 winners come from the territories they tell in their projects. Compared to the previous year, there is an 11 percent increase in participants from South America and a 14 percent increase from Asia-Pacific and Oceania. Photographers and non-binary people account for 22 percent of participants, confirming a gradual improvement in terms of inclusiveness.

The selected works will be displayed in the traditional World Press Photo traveling exhibition, which reaches more than sixty venues around the world each year, engaging millions of visitors, as well as being disseminated through digital platforms. The selection took place in two stages: initially through six independent juries, one for each geographical area, and then through a global jury composed of the presidents of the individual juries and an overall president.

“This is a pivotal moment,” said Global Jury 2026 Chair Kira Pollack, a researcher at the Harvard Shorenstein Center, “for democracy, for truth, for what we as a society are willing to see and expose, and what we are willing to ignore. The photographers recognized here have done their part. They have created a testimony. Now it’s our turn to look at it.”

Among the winners is an Italian, Chantal Pinzi, who was awarded for her project Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters, dedicated to women challenging a Moroccan equestrian tradition historically reserved for men, claiming their own space within the country’s culture.

The Tbourida tradition, recognized by UNESCO and dating back to the 16th century, consists of spectacular performances by groups of riders-usually between 15 and 25-who gallop in unison firing gunshots in a choreography inspired by ancient military parades. Participants wear traditional costumes representative of their tribe or region and carry a sword and a small copy of the Quran. The event also often takes on a spiritual value, accompanied by purification rituals and moments of collective prayer. This practice, handed down from generation to generation, requires great technical skill, balance and courage. Long exclusively male, the Tbourida began to open up to female participation after the 2004 reform of the Moroccan family code, which strengthened women’s rights. Today there are seven groups composed entirely of female riders out of about 300 total. The so-called farīsāt often incur substantial personal costs, taking care of the horses, costumes and necessary permits themselves. Their presence represents a strong affirmation of women’s role in Morocco’s cultural heritage.

The photographer, who is also an athlete, considers sport a tool capable of highlighting social inequalities and exclusions. This is precisely why she chose to focus on communities where women still face significant obstacles to participation, emphasizing the emancipatory potential of sports practice.

Born in 1996, Chantal Pinzi is a Berlin-based visual activist specializing in photojournalism and documentary photography. Her work often explores themes related to resilience in fragmented or marginalized contexts, giving voice especially to women’s experiences. Through photography, Pinzi analyzes and questions complex social dynamics, constructing visual narratives that challenge systems of oppression and invite reflection. Her goal is to contribute to collective memory, promoting empathy, awareness and authenticity.

Her work has won international recognition and has been featured in numerous contexts, including the Sony World Photography Awards (2025), the Xposure Festival (2024), LensCulture, the Helsinki Photo Festival, and PhotoEspaña. It is currently represented by the agency Panos Pictures.

There is also an Italian photographer among the winners of the World Press Photo Contest 2026: she is Chantal Pinzi

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