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The event was organized by the Independent Journalism Center during 5-6 November 2020, in the context of conducting the fourth edition of the World Press Photo International Exhibition, which will take place between 18 November and 9 December 2020.
At the beginning of the training, Floris van Eijk, Head of Netherlands Embassy Office in Chisinau, highlighted that the Embassy had been supporting the organization of the World Press Photo Exhibition in the Republic of Moldova already for four years. ‘This year we decided to do more than putting on an exhibition in Chisinau. We would like to encourage Moldovan photojournalists to participate in this prestigious competition in the future. There are many talented journalists and photojournalists in Moldova, and we would like to contribute to their professional development. Photos bring an added value to the press, helping people to become aware of the complex reality we are living in. Certainly, a photograph can say more than a thousand words’, emphasized Floris van Eijk, expressing his hope that more Moldovan journalists and photojournalists will participate in the international contest in the future.
During the training, the discussions focused on the importance of visual art, photographic storytelling, as well as the requirements for entering the World Press Photo international contest, which has a long history of more than six decades.
The Georgian photographer Daro Sulakauri, whose works were published in National Geographic, New York Times, Forbes, GEO Magazine, Der Spiegel, Mother Jones, Sunday Times, The Economist, Bloomberg, die Zeit, shared her experience and photo stories with the 12 training participants. ‘Photo contests helped me not only changing peoples’ views and attitudes towards particular things but also changed myself. I find out that I can start a dialogue with people through photography, and most importantly, I can encourage them to have a broader perception of reality. The power of images is amazing’, said the photographer.
She urged journalists to participate in as many international photo contests as possible because in such a way their photo stories will be known throughout the world. ‘Participation in international contests opens great perspectives. Besides visibility, it will also give you a chance to tell your local photo stories to an international audience’, concluded Daro Sulakauri.
In the second training day, the journalists and photojournalists found out from Suzan van den Berg and Thera Vermeij, World Press Photo Foundation representatives from the Netherlands, what are the entry requirements for this prestigious international contest, when applications can be submitted, and how the winners are selected.
The training was organized by the Independent Journalism Center with financial support from the Netherlands Embassy.
