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Seef Mall is once again the stage for the world's largest and most prestigious press photography show - the 'World Press Photo Exhibition 2008'.
The exhibition runs until May 22 and is a unique travelling showcase featuring more than 200 award-winning photographs from the world's leading annual press photography contest which attracted more than 80,000 entries.
The contest features 10 categories and entries are judged by an independent international jury of experts. Entries are submitted by photojournalists, agencies, newspapers and magazines from all corners of the world.
This year, a record number of participants from 125 countries sent in their work, a total of 5,019 photographers, which is an increase of 12.5 per cent compared to 2007. The total number of images submitted was a staggering 80,536. The jury gave prizes in 10 theme categories to 59 photographers of 23 nationalities.
The annual exhibition is shown at 90 venues in 40 countries all over the world.
Bahrain's citizens, residents and visitors will be among the million visitors and among the lucky first ones around the globe who will view this exhibition that bears the power of the photograph to transcend cultural and linguistic frontiers.
Bahrain is the only venue in the Middle East to host this exhibition consecutively for four years in a row and has been brought to the kingdom by Miracle Publishing, Bahrain.
Miracle's CEO Adam Sunderland said: "Interest in the exhibition and the event's popularity have increased each year since the first showing in 2005 and we are proud to bring the exhibition to Bahrain once again.
"This is a unique opportunity to witness the world's major events in a visually stunning and thought-provoking way, and we encourage the people of Bahrain to see this showcase for themselves at Seef Mall.
The World Press Photo, founded in 1955, is an independent non-profit organisation based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. This platform manifests itself in the annual World Press Photo contest and the corresponding yearbook and exhibition.
Its mission is to encourage high professional standards in photojournalism and to promote a free and unrestricted exchange of information. World Press Photo is supported worldwide by Canon and TNT. The exhibition in Bahrain is sponsored by the Ithmaar Development Company.
The limited edition 2008 World Press Photo yearbook containing all the winning images will be available for sale at Jashanmal bookstores, Seef Mall, during the duration of the exhibition. Alternately it can also be home delivered by contacting the Miracle Publishing's team.
The exhibition is being held under the patronage of Southern Governorate governor and president of the Public Commission for Protection of Marine Resources, Environment & Wildlife Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
