Press Photo exhibition opens at the Scottish Parliament

The World Press Photo exhibition, showcasing some of the most powerful images from around the globe, has gone on display at the Scottish Parliament.

The exhibition, which is free to enter and runs until Saturday 24 August, is a collection of award-winning photojournalism and issues-focused photography from 2018. Images on display in the free exhibition depict issues including the environment, sport, nature and general news.

The winning images were selected from over 78,000 entries, which were submitted by 4,738 photographers based in 129 countries. These have been whittled down to the 147 images which are on display at the Parliament for the next month.

The exhibition was unveiled by Deputy Presiding Officer Christine Grahame MSP, who was joined by Yi Wen Hsia, from the World Press Photo Foundation, and Olivia Harris, a photographer whose work following the referendum on abortion in Ireland, is featured in the exhibition.

Deputy Presiding Officer, Christine Grahame MSP said: “The Scottish Parliament is used to debating issues that go on to be front-page news in this country, but we need to remember the wider context in which we work.

“Having the World Press Photo exhibition coming into our building is always a powerful reminder of the simultaneously awe-inspiring but sometimes awful world we live in, and the real stories behind the headlines.

“These images and the stories they depict deserve to be seen by as wide an audience as possible. The Scottish Parliament is the only location in the UK showing this free exhibition, and I encourage people to come and see it.”

Yi-Wen Hsia, Curator at World Press Photo, added: “The World Press Photo Foundation believes in the power of showing and the importance of seeing high-quality visual stories. Our mission is to connect the world to the stories that matter.

“Our exhibition travels yearly to more than 100 cities in the world. Having our exhibition on display at the Scottish Parliament is a great opportunity to connect some of the most impressing stories of the past year to the people in Edinburgh.

“When the audience comes to the exhibition they not only learn about the complexities of some of the most pressing issues in the world, but they also support the work of visual journalists worldwide, who have to do their job in increasingly difficult and dangerous circumstances.”