LAHORE, Feb 25: An international exhibition of photographs from 24 countries opened at Alhamra, The Mall, on Monday.

This is for the first time that ‘The World Press Photo’, an independent non-profit organisation, has brought an exhibition of photographs to Pakistan.

The show features 158 winning photographs from 24 countries by 57 award-winning photographers.

The exhibition has been organised by the Embassy of Netherlands, FM 89 and Lahore Arts Council.

The exhibition was jointly inaugurated by Ambassador of Netherlands to Pakistan Gajus Scheltema and Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan. American Consul General Nina Maria Fite was also present.

Before the inauguration, the ambassador addressing a gathering of artists, art lovers and other visitors said no society could live without media which had an extremely important role. He said the exhibition had been dedicated to all those Pakistani journalists who died in the line of duty. Such an exhibition at one place was a source of pride for the Netherlands and also showed the maturity of Pakistani people who recognised the effort, he added.

The photographs feature numerous topics and ideas depicting culture, people, lifestyle and landscapes of different countries.

World Press Photo is based in Amsterdam, where it was founded in 1955.

According to the information gathered from WPP, the annual photo contest offers an overview of how photographers worldwide tackle their work and meet the new challenges. It is the only international event of this stature, not simply bringing together pictures from all parts of the globe but also reflecting trends and developments in documentary photography, and revealing how the press gives news.

Since 1955, more than 2,100 WPP exhibitions have taken place in over 450 cities in 115 countries across the globe. The exhibition is now shown in Pakistan for the first time and consists of 158 winning photographs from all 57 awarded photographers from 24 countries.

The WPP activities include organising an annual contest, exhibitions, the stimulation of photojournalism through educational programmes, and creating greater visibility for press photography through a variety of publications. It receives support from the Dutch Postcode Lottery and is sponsored worldwide by Canon. The WPP holds the official accreditation for good practices from the Central Bureau on Fundraising (CBF).

The contest creates a bridge linking the professionals with the general public. As the announcement of the winners makes headlines around the0 world, so the inspirational role of photojournalism is highlighted to an audience of hundreds of millions.

All the prize-winning photographs are assembled into an exhibition that travels to 45 countries over the course of a year.

The contest is judged by leading experts in visual journalism who represent various aspects of the profession.

The exhibition will continue till March 12.