Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, December 13, 2011 – The World Press Photo Exhibition, one of the most anticipated events in the world of photography, will be coming to Malaysia next month, bringing with it a striking collection of over 160 award-winning press photographs from all over world.
Responding to the positive feedback from last year’s World Press Photo Exhibition, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and TNT Express Malaysia, the organizer and sponsor responsible for bringing the exhibition to Malaysia, will be bringing this unique, one-of-a-kind traveling exhibition to four locations in Malaysia – namely Klang Valley, Melaka, Kota Kinabalu as well as Penang, starting from the end of January 2012 to March 2012.
“We are delighted to have been given this opportunity once again to be bringing such a prestigious exhibition to the people of Malaysia. The exhibition is more than just a collection of top-quality photos. The photos illustrate art and culture in its most ‘real’ form and depict the importance of these two aspects in fostering ties between nations. Bringing high-calibre exhibitions such as this one is one of the Embassy’s many initiatives in enhancing ties between the Kingdom of Netherlands and Malaysia,” shares His Excellency Mr Paul Bekkers, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Malaysia, in his welcome speech at a Press Announcement event held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
The exhibition is a result of a worldwide annual contest on press photography. This year’s competition attracted 5,691 photographers from 125 countries including Malaysia and in total; a record number of 108,059 images were entered in the contest. 55 photographers representing 23 nationalities in 9 themed categories – Portrait, People in the News, General News, Spot News, Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, Nature, Arts & Entertainment, as well as Sports; were awarded with prize recognitions.
The breadth of topics covered by this year’s winning photographs is astounding – from the earthquake in Haiti to the Madrid bullfights are but a handful of themes represented among 2011’s award-winning crop.
Having sponsored the World Press Photo Exhibition in Malaysia for the second time, Managing Director of TNT Express Malaysia, Mr Chong Siang Chung commented, “The World Press Photo Exhibition offers a channel of increasing awareness of global issues and situations, which not only affects the people in countries depicted in the photographs but affects all of us – you and me. At TNT, people, from all walks of life and background, form the heart of our business. We care about what goes on in the world and by sponsoring the exhibition; we hope to be able to stimulate public interest not only in a range of issues but in the role of press photography itself.”
Distinguished guests - Datuk Peter Brokenshire, General Manager of Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), the exhibition’s long-time partner and venue sponsor in Klang Valley, as well as Dr Marceline Lemarie, Group CEO of Katchi Group Sdn Bhd, the official outdoor media partner for the Klang Valley exhibition, were also in attendance to receive their tokens of appreciation from His Excellency Mr Paul Bekkers at the Press Announcement event.
Malaysia will be one of its last few stops before the World Press Photo Exhibition tour begins for 2012. World Press Photo receives support from the Dutch Postcode Lottery and is sponsored worldwide by Canon and TNT.
For more information on the exact dates and venues for each of the four locations, please visit www.worldpressphoto.org/events.