War, Peace and What Lies In Between

On the Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest that exhibited 65 stark photographs—from the scars of war to everyday life to social inequalities and man-made disasters—by photojournalists from across the world, in Delhi

- PRIYAMVADA RANA

At the Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest, held at AIFACS (All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society), the space was enlivened with soft murmurs. Viewers gazed intently at 65 evocative photographs, shortlisted from over 3,000 entries from 36 countries sent in 2024 by photojournalists from across the world.

Founded in 2014 by Russian state-owned media group Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency under the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, the contest is named after Andrei Stenin, an esteemed Russian photojournalist who died in the line of duty in Ukraine in 2014. "Many photographs of photojournalists do not find a place in print. They go unnoticed. This (competition) is a rare occasion when you see their talent. On display are photographs of war, peace, adventure, culture, history, and more. The exhibition is a way to encourage interaction between photojournalists, the creative community, artists and viewers," said Navneet Kumar Sehgal, chairman of Prasar Bharati, at the public address.

Alexander Shtol, executive director of the photo contest, said that photography is a "universal language" between nations. "It has become a means of communication in the modern world. In 2024, our competition selected thousands of photographs from 36 countries. This exhibition presents the shortlisted pictures from India, Russia, Spain, Syria, Italy, China, South Africa, amongst others, portraying the most relevant topics in a rapidly changing world."

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