Executive Director, World Press Photo Foundation
An interview with Joumana El Zei Khoury, director of World Press Photo Foundation.
Welcome to a new episode of De Donkere Kamer podcast in which we have World Press Photo Foundation's director Joumana El ...
About Joumana Khoury
Joumana Khoury, executive director of the World Press Photo Foundation, has discussed the organization's efforts to address geographic representation in its contests. She stated that when she joined, over three-quarters of photographers represented in the contest and exhibitions came from Europe and North America, and she described this as "something that was not possible" for an organization called World Press Photo. She noted that the foundation worked to change this, though she described it as a difficult process. Khoury has also spoken about the state of Lebanon, where she was born. In a March 2025 interview, she said Lebanon is "in the worst place that it's ever been" and that "there's just no hope for Lebanon," adding that even during the Civil War and the 2006 war with Israel there had been "resilience and this feeling of hope." She has also commented on the role of culture, stating that "culture is a basic need" and that it is "as important as health, as food, as having a roof over your head."
Transcript (42 segments)
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Host0:02
Hello and welcome to the podcast. My name is Worldo. This is the World Press Photo Foundation. I'm here with Joumana. Hey Joumana, you had a nice intro. Welcome. Nice to be here at your home. It's difficult for me to pronounce but it reflects your Lebanese roots. You have lived in the Netherlands for many years, you have studied in high-profile places, you speak several languages. How deeply is Lebanon still rooted in you?
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Joumana Khoury1:53
Lebanon is where I come from. Even though I've lived in many different places and have different passports, when people ask me where I come from, it's Lebanon. It's always been integral to who I am, how I look at the world, professionally, and in my family and relationships.
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Host2:19
What's your view on that country, on Lebanon today?
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Joumana Khoury2:21
We can say a country in crisis. Today Lebanon is in the worst place it's ever been. For the first time, there's no hope. Even during the civil war, the 2006 war, the explosion, there was always resilience and hope. People wanted to overcome and reconstruct. But today, everybody is leaving.
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Host3:22
It's really bad. You left many years ago, like I did. Do you often go back? Do you still have family living there?
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Joumana Khoury3:30
Yes, I do. I have my parents still living there. My brother and sister left after the explosion a few years ago. I have some aunts, but most have left.
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Host3:52
Speaking of your parents, do they have anything with arts, culture, photography?
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Joumana Khoury4:00
They are not artists, but art and culture have always been integral. We went to museums, lived with art. I have aunts who are into journalism and art. We come from a family that is intellectually curious and open.
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Host4:39
That's nicely said. They didn't have to push you. I noticed you previously worked at the Arab Image Foundation in Beirut. What does photography mean to you today?
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Joumana Khoury5:01
I was bottle-fed at the Arab Image Foundation. It was created by Lebanese, Moroccan, and Palestinian artists to archive the history of photography by Arab photographers. They went into families and studios to find archives, telling a different story about the Arab world. That was eye-opening: the power of producing your own images, telling your own story. Photography for me is about telling your own story, or at least having someone who understands the context and respects it. It's important to have multiple views and not one dominant view.
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Host7:16
On your LinkedIn, you posted a quote from Edouard Glissant: 'Change through exchange without losing oneself.' Is that what you put forward in your jobs? Exchange is crucial in change, but always looking to the individual?
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Joumana Khoury7:45
Absolutely. There's a phrase that keeps coming back: from the personal to the universal. You understand universal issues better when they are personal. I believe in exchange because when you exchange, you are open to dialogue, you change. Glissant defines a relationship as changing by exchanging without losing oneself. I've seen this living in different countries and in my jobs. At World Press Photo, images allow you to put yourself in someone else's shoes. At Prince Claus Fund, culture leads to deeper understanding and dialogue.
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Host10:09
You've also said culture is a basic need. How do you think about that in times of rising extreme right parties that see culture as a nice-to-have?
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Joumana Khoury10:45
Culture is a basic need. That's the motto of Prince Claus Fund. If culture weren't important, why do people die for it, why are they imprisoned for it, why do governments destroy cultural heritage? Culture is as important as health, food, shelter. Without it, you lose your identity. Refugees bring their culture with them. A photographer named Bachar Imam created a series 'Live Love Refugee' where he asked refugees what they take with them, and it was always about who they are. You cannot be a people without culture. Culture is food, sports, writing, sculpture, photography.
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Host13:19
In 2021, you became director of World Press Photo Foundation, a big change. You're not a photographer, but you got that position. How did that go?
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Joumana Khoury14:10
I had no baggage because I wasn't a photographer. That was an advantage. It was easier to pose critical questions from the outside. The organization was in transition and wanted change. I spoke to many people, listened, and brought everyone along. Change is necessary when it's necessary, not for the fun of it. I am a loyal person; I care deeply about the places I work with.
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Host16:45
Can you tell me how World Press Photo is still important in visual storytelling and photojournalism?
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Joumana Khoury17:05
We have a role to play in terms of the history and legacy we bring. We showcase different stories and perspectives from different regions. I want us to be more of a platform for constructive discussions. Our social media discussions are in a bubble; we need to take it to the next level where people speak to each other, not just throw things. As Mark Sealy said, we don't need to have the answers or take sides; we need to put things into perspective. Our archive of 70 years of world history shows how history repeats itself. It's depressing how people forget. So education is key: for the next generation of photographers and for the public to read images critically.
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Host22:33
Your statement when you began was that you wanted to represent the 'world' in World Press Photo, because it gave a view from the West. Did you manage to live up to that?
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Joumana Khoury22:57
Yes, absolutely. It was based on facts. After changing the contest structure, 80% of photographers were local, meaning stories were more balanced. All regions were included in winners.
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Host24:07
You also installed quotas for female and non-binary photographers. Did you succeed? Are you continuing?
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Joumana Khoury24:30
We put a selection criteria: among four winners in each region, at least one local and one female or non-binary. For locality, it's never an issue. For women, it often comes naturally, but we've had to discuss in some cases like the European jury covering Ukraine war where there were mostly men. After three years, we will re-evaluate.
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Host26:29
Do photographers from the West still feel welcome at World Press Photo?
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Joumana Khoury26:43
It depends. Some from the older generation may not feel welcome, but others do. We have European winners in Asia and Africa. We're giving a larger platform for others. Some think we sacrifice quality for locality, but the jury guarantees quality. Change always brings discussion, which is good.
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Host28:42
Photojournalism is under pressure from automation, AI, low rates. But we see the necessity of photojournalists in Gaza, Yemen, Iran. What is the superpower of a photojournalist?
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Joumana Khoury30:05
Images are not objective; they are through the eye of someone with their own biases. The superpower is bringing their view of a moment that can change perception. Photography and literature have the power to put you in someone else's shoes. Photography does it instantly. Another superpower is their commitment despite danger and financial hardship. We are restarting a master class focused on making photographers' careers sustainable: teaching them how to navigate the business, not just the craft.
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Host33:46
What about people taking photos with mobile phones at the front line? What gives the photojournalist extra power?
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Joumana Khoury34:08
It's the craft, ethics, consent. We do manipulation checks during judging to ensure nothing has been altered. Those standards don't apply to citizen journalists automatically.
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Host35:17
Since November 2022, AI has emerged. How do you deal with it, especially during judging?
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Joumana Khoury35:50
We do not accept AI-generated images. But AI is in editing tools, which we tolerate with specific guidelines. AI is here to stay; we've discussed with players in the field how to regulate and take advantage. We initially allowed AI images in open format if they were a small part of the project, but the community pushed back and we reversed that. We adapt. AI is another pressure on photographers, but we need to have discussions.
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Host39:07
Do you blend into these discussions as an outsider or just listen?
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Joumana Khoury39:20
I listen in, but when important questions about reputation arise, I moderate as a stakeholder. I am an outsider, which helps. I want to be more present in discussing bigger issues of photojournalism.
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Host41:24
At last year's award ceremony, Ukrainian photographer Evgeniy Maloletka spoke. He read a letter from the husband of the pregnant woman in his photo, who died. It became very personal. Is that what photo journalism does? Hold up a mirror and humanize conflicts?
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Joumana Khoury42:27
Yes, it's so important to humanize conflicts. There's been criticism of language used for Israelis vs Palestinians. Small points like names matter. That photo showed a generation being killed. It's about the personal to the universal. Photography is becoming more individualistic, focusing on the person. That's necessary because our world is close yet far apart.
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Host45:41
Do these images get under your skin? What happens at night?
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Joumana Khoury46:07
It takes me about a month to detox. Some images haunt me. It makes me question how long I can do this. But seeing the same things happening worldwide is crazy. I find balance through ceramics. I also admire craftsmanship, like Belgian designer Dries Van Noten. World Press Photo also supports craftsmanship and the new generation.
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Host49:37
I know you as a director; I worked on some judging. You are empathetic and horizontal, but one colleague whispered you call yourself a 'democratic dictator.' Explain.
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Joumana Khoury50:10
I am democratic: I listen to everyone and give space. But then someone has to make the decision, and that's me. Once I've listened, I decide, and that's where the dictatorship comes in. It works for me.
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Host51:04
How do you create closeness with your team when you travel a lot?
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Joumana Khoury51:16
I try not to travel too much. The organization needed care, so I stayed. Now I feel I need to be more present externally. I want to bring World Press Photo's voice to discussions like the journalism conference in Perugia, Italy. I still see myself as an outsider, but I want to be more involved.
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Host53:25
Finally, where does World Press Photo want to go in the next five years to remain relevant?
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Joumana Khoury53:48
We need to perfect the balance of stories, increase entries from underrepresented regions like Asia and Africa. We want to be more present for publics globally. My biggest baby is the archive. Next year is our 70th anniversary. We are revisiting the archive to create discussions, learning how stereotypes developed. I was shocked by images of starving children in Africa and captions that were acceptable then. Also, I was excited to see how crops were done by hand. We have been developing thematic exhibitions. We need to remind people of important events. Personally, the image of the Sabra and Shatila massacre in Lebanon in 1982, a year after I was born, decided my family's future. That's the power of photography.