Defining images from across world for display in Sligo

The World Press Photo exhibition, hosted by Sligo County Council at Queen Maeve Square, is currently displaying a selection of compelling images captured worldwide over the past year. The free, self-guided tour, available in multiple languages, showcases 118 photographs from the annual World Press Photo Contest. Last year, the contest received 57,376 entries from 3,747 photographers in 141 countries, selecting 42 winners.

The overall winner of the 2026 World Press Photo of the Year was Carol Guzy's "Separated by ICE," captured at a Federal Building in New York. The image depicts the separation of an Ecuadorian family after a migrant was detained by US immigration agents following a court hearing. Photographer Guzy emphasized the importance of the story, highlighting the suffering and resilience of countless families.

The executive director of World Press Photo, Joumana El Zein Khoury, praised the image for its global significance, likening it to a record of family separation resulting from US reform policies. Two other notable finalists included Saber Nuraldin's "Aid Emergency in Gaza," showing Palestinians waiting for aid during a tactical suspension of military operations, and Victor J Blue's "The Trials of the Achi Women," depicting an Indigenous Maya Achi woman standing against the backdrop of Guatemala's civil war.

The exhibition, the first time the World Press Photo event has been held in Ireland since 2014, serves as a powerful reminder of the global issues and human stories captured through the lens of photojournalism.