For Media and Press

World Press Photo - Poignant photos from around the world

World Press Photo - Poignant photos from around the world

Moscow, Tokyo, Berlin and Sydney. Oulu will be in impressive company when it hosts the famous World Press Photo exhibition from 1 to 21 March 2012. The free exhibition showcases the best and award-winning press photos of  2010 from different parts of the world.  A Taiwanese exchange student studying at the University of Oulu is responsible for bringing the WWP11 exhibition to Oulu, the capital of Northern Scandinavia!

World Press Photo will present Oulu’s residents and visitors with unique pictures of topical themes and life in different parts of the world. Yu-Hsuan Lee is bringing the respected press photo exhibition to Oulu as part of his practical work in the Master’s degree programme in Education and Globalisation.

“The World Press Photo exhibition encourages us to break political and cultural barriers with communications so I would like to share this exhibition with my friends and all those people living in Northern Ostrobothnia,” says Lee.

Yu-hsuan Lee visited the WPP exhibition for the first time in Taipei in Taiwan in 2006. The exhibition’s photos made such a huge impression on him that he signed up as a volunteer in the World Press Photo organisation.

“The photos told stories of everyday life with very different frames of reference. Some stories were delightful and warm while others were violent and cruel. The photos affected me for a very long time even after the exhibition,” explains Lee.

The local partner involved in the World Press Photo11 exhibition that opens at the beginning of March in the Oulu City Library is the Culture Power Station organisation. The following volunteers have helped Yu-Hsuan Lee in the preparation and implementation of the exhibition:  Tommi Kohonen from Yokamerat, Maaike Beenen-Miinalainen from Pinkmoose Design, and Marko Määttä and Jukka-Pekka Tuominen from the University of Oulu.

“I knew nothing about Oulu when I came here to study. However, I have felt very welcome from the very first day and would like to say thanks for the support I have received from friends and strangers.  I hope that the people of Oulu will enjoy the World Press Photo exhibition as much as I have,” says Yu-Hsuan Lee.

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World Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organisation that was set up in 1955 and is based in the Netherlands. Every year, WPP organises the world’s largest and most respected press photo competition. Photographers from around the world enter the competition for a chance of winning an award. The winning photos are compiled into a touring exhibition which has over 2,5 million visitors in 45 different countries. The exhibition was held in Finland once before, in Helsinki in 1995.

The 100 Acts. From Oulu. programme brings the  Oulu region together and gives each person the chance to highlight progressive and pleasing actions.  Take a look at the ‘100 Acts’ programme and submit your own project or candidate, at www.oulu.com/100tekoa

Further information about the exhibition: Yu-Hsuan Lee, exhibition organizer, tel. 045 208 5536, e-mail: info(at)ouluworldpressphoto.org

http://www.ouluworldpressphoto.org/wordpress/about-2/

Further information about the 100 Acts. From Oulu. programme:
Suvi Ilvesviita, Project Manager, tel. 040 4848 618,
e-mail: Suvi.ilvesviita(at)businessoulu.com